WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 


WHAT    SHALL   WE 
DO   NOW? 

Over  Five  Hundred  Games  and  Pastimes 

A  BOOK  OF  SUGGESTIONS  FOR 

CHILDREN'S  GAMES  AND 

EMPLOYMENTS 

B*  '     '      '    I 

DOROTHY  CANFIELDF'- 

AND  OTHERS 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


F5 


Copyright,  1907,  1922,  by 
FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 


All  rights  reserved 


PRINTED    IN    THE    UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA 


PREFACE 

THIS  book  has  been  made  in  the  hope  that  the  question 
which  forms  its  title,  ''What  shall  we  do  now?"  may 
come  to  be  put  less  frequently.  It  is  so  easy  for  chil- 
dren to  ask  it,  so  hard  for  grown-up  persons  with  many  other 
matters  to  think  about  to  reply  to  it  satisfactorily. 

In  the  following  pages,  which  have  something  to  say  concern- 
ing most  of  the  situations  in  which  children  find  themselves,  at 
home  or  in  the  country,  out  of  doors  or  in,  alone  or  in  company, 
a  variety  of  answers  will  be  found.  No  subject  can  be  said  to  be 
exhausted;  but  the  book  is  perhaps  large  enough.  Everything 
which  it  contains  has  been  indexed  so  clearly  that  a  reader  ought 
to  be  able  to  find  what  he  wants  in  a  moment. 

In  this  new  edition  an  appendix  of  holiday  games  has  "been 
added,  including  games  especially  suitable  for  parties  or  picnics 
on  New  Year's  Day,  Lincoln's  'Birthday,  St.  Valentine's  Day, 
Washington's  Birthday ,  Easter,  April  Fool's  Day,  May  Day, 
Fourth  of  July,  Hallowe'en,  Thanksgiving  and  Christmas. 

There  are,  of  course,  many  fortunate  girls  and  boys  who  do 
not  require  any  help  whatever,  who  always  know  what  to  do  now, 
and  do  it.  For  them  some  sections  of  this  book  may  have  little 
value.  It  is  for  that  greater  number  of  less  resourceful  children 
who  whenever  time  is  before  them  really  are  in  need  of  counsel 
and  hints,  that  it  has  been  prepared. 


CONTENTS 

t  GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY            .....  1 

DRAWING  GAMES       ......  45 

WRITING  GAMES       ......  57 

TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES     .  .  .  .73 

THINKING,  GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES           .           .  85 

EAINY-DAY  GAMES    .           .           .           .                       ,  ill 

OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS            ....  127 

OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS  .  .  .  .137 

PICNIC  GAMES            ......  149 

OUT  FOR  A  WALK      ......  161 

IN  THE  TRAIN            ......  171 

PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED         .           ,           .  183 

AT  THE  SEASIDE       ......  195 

IN  THE  COUNTRY       ......  201 

DOLLS'  HOUSES         .  .  .  .  .  .217 

DOLLS'  HOUSES  AND  DOLLS  OF  CARDBOARD  AND  PAPER  .  235 

PLAYHOUSES  OF  OTHER  LANDS        ....  263 

INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  AND  THINGS  TO  MAKE         .           .  271 

CANDY-MAKING         ......  305 

GARDENING    .......  313 

PETS    ........  337 

BEADING        .......  367 

APPENDIX  OF  HOLIDAY  GAMES          ....  389 

INDEX  407 


Vll 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FULL  PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 
A  Pueblo  Settlement Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

The  Library  and  Furniture  from  "  The  House  that  Glue  Built  "  .    .    .    .  244 

An  Esquimau  Sled  (_  9RA 

Indian  Costumes     J  ZDO 


ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  TEXT 

PAQB 

A  Trussed  Fowl 37 

Five  Dots 48 

Outlines 49 

Drawing  Tricks 51 

Picture- Writing 52-53 

The  Last  Man  Surveying  the  Ruins  of  the  Crystal  Palace 56 

Patience  Card 76 

The  Dancing  Dwarf ,    .  -. 106 

Bean- Bag  Board 114 

Rope  Ring 115 

The  Overhand  Knot 117 

Half-Hitch 118 

Figure  of  Eight 118 

Common  Bend 118 

Sailor's  Knot 118 

Running  Noose 119 

Crossed  Running  Noose 119 

Bowline  Knot 119 

Dogshank 120 

Shuffle-Board 121 

Balancing  Tricks 123 


x  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PA6B 

The  Glass  Maker     125 

Electric  Dancers 126 

Daisy  Chain 135 

Ivy  Chain 135 

Hop-Scotch 144 

Prisoner's  Base 156 

Tit-tat-toe 176-177 

Hanging 179-180 

Chinese  Gambling 181 

Spanish  Cup 186 

Cardboard  Box  Beds ' 223 

Bead  Chair 223 

A  Doll's  Apartments 227 

Cork  Arm-Chair 228 

Chestnut  Chair 229 

Fancy  Table 230 

Match-Box  Bedstead 231 

Match-Box  Washstand 233 

Towel  Rack 233 

Clothes  Basket 234 

Cardboard  Dolls'  House 239 

Appearance  of  House  When  Complete 240 

Dog  Kennel 241 

Kitchen  Table 246 

Kitchen  Range 247 

Kitchen  Chair 247 

Screen 248 

Various  Pots  and  Pans 248 

Dining-Room  Table  and  Cloth 249 

Sideboard 250 

Sofa 251 

Arm-Chair 251 

Wooden  Bedstead 252 

Wardrobe 253 

Dressing  Table 254 

Washstand 255 

Rocking-Chair 256 

Towel  Rack 256 

Chair 256 

Child's  High  Chair 257 

Child's  Cot 257 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xi 

PAGE 

Walking  Paper  Dolls 259 

Paper  Mother  and  Child,  with  Clothes  for  Each 260 

A  Paper  Girl  with  Six  Changes 261 

Shadows  on  the  Wall 280 

A  Cocked  Hat 284 

Paper  Boats ...  285 

Paper  Darts 286 

Paper  Mats 286 

Paper  Boxes 287 

A  Dancing  Man 289 

Hand  Dragons 290 

A  Kite 293 

Flying  a  Kite 294 

Toy  Boats 296-297 

A  Skipjack 300 

A  Water-Cutter .   .       . 300 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY 

Blind  Man's  Buff 

MAN'S  BUFF"  is  one  of  the  best,  oldest, 
and  simplest  of  games.  One  player  is  blindfolded,  is 
turned  round  two  or  three  times  to  confuse  his  ideas 
as  to  his  position  in  the  room,  and  is  then  told  to  catch  whom 
he  can.  If  he  catches  some  one,  yet  cannot  tell  who  it  is,  he 
must  go  on  again  as  blind  man ;  but  if  he  can  tell  who  it  is, 
that  person  is  blindfolded  instead.  Where  there  is  a  fireplace, 
or  where  the  furniture  has  sharp  corners,  it  is  rather  a  good 
thing  for  some  one  not  playing  to  be  on  the  lookout  to  protect 
the  blind  man.  Sometimes  there  are  two  blind  men,  who  add 
to  the  fun  by  occasionally  catching  each  other.  But  this  is 
rather  dangerous.  There  is  also  a  game  called  "  Jinglers  " 
where  every  one  is  blind  except  one  player  with  a  bell,  whom 
it  is  their  object  to  catch.  But  this  is  more  dangerous  still. 

A  good  variety  of  "  Blind  Man's  Buff "  is  the  silent  one. 
Directly  the  man  is  blindfolded,  and  before  he  begins  to  seek, 
all  the  players  take  up  positions  in  corners,  on  chairs,  or  wher- 
ever they  think  most  prudent,  and  there  they  must  stop  with- 
out making  a  sound.  The  task  for  the  blind  man  is  thus  not 
catching  the  others,  but,  on  finding  them,  deciding  upon  who 
they  are.  As  chuckling  or  giggling  is  more  likely  to  tell  him 
than  his  sense  of  touch,  it  is  tremendously  important  to  make 
no  noise  if  you  can  help  it.  Sometimes  this  game  is  played 
(without  any  standing  on  chairs)  by  a  blind  man  armed  with 
two  spoons,  with  which  he  feels  the  features  of  those  whom  he 
runs  against.  In  this  case  it  is  practically  impossible  to  avoid 


4  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


laughing.  The  sensation  produced  by  the  bowls  of  two  spoons 
being  passed  over  the  face  in  the  attempt  to  recognize  its 
owner  is  overwhelming. 

French  Blind  Man's  Buff 

In  French  "  Blind  Man's  Buff  "  the  hands  of  the  blind  man 
are  tied  behind  his  back  and  his  eyes  are  left  uncovered.  He 
has  therefore  to  back  on  to  the  players  before  he  can  catch 
them,  which  increases  his  difficulties. 

Blind  Man's  Wand 

Here  the  blind  man  has  a  stick,  one  end  of  which  is  grasped 
by  the  other  players  in  turn.  The  blind  man  puts  three  ques- 
tions to  each  player,  and  his  aim  is  to  recognize  by  the  voice 
who  it  is  that  replies.  The  aim  of  the  players,  therefore,  is  to 
disguise  their  voices  as  much  as  possible.  Sometimes,  instead 
of  merely  asking  questions,  the  blind  man  instructs  the  holder 
of  the  wand  to  imitate  some  animal  —  a  cock  or  a  donkey,  for 
example. 

Steps 

The  player  who  is  blindfolded  is  first  placed  in  the  middle. 
The  others  walk  from  him  to  various  positions  all  around,  care- 
fully measuring  the  number  of  steps  (long  or  short)  which  take 
them  there.  The  blind  man  is  then  told  how  many  steps  will 
bring  him  to  a  certain  player,  and  he  has  to  guess  the  direction 
toward  him,  and  the  length  of  step.  This  player,  if  found,  be- 
comes blind  man. 

Still  Pond !    No  More  Moving 

The  player  who  is  blindfolded  is  placed  in  the  middle  and 
all  the  other  players  touch  him.  He  counts  out  loud  as  rapidly 
as  possible  up  to  ten,  during  which  time  the  players  rush  as 
far  away  from  him  as  possible.  Directly  he  reaches  ten  he 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  5 

ttries  out  "  Still  Pond  !  No  more  moving  1 "  and  the  players 
must  stand  perfectly  still.  He  then  says  "you  may  have  three 
steps,"  or  any  number  beyond  three  which  he  wishes  to  give. 
The  players  save  these  steps  until  he  comes  dangerously  near 
them  and  then  try  and  use  them  to  the  best  possible  advan- 
tage, to  escape.  It  is  not  a  step  if  one  foot  remains  in  the 
same  place.  After  a  player  is  caught  and  identified  by  the 
one  who  is  "  it "  he  in  turn  is  blindfolded. 

Shadow  Buff 

A  sheet  is  stretched  across  the  room.  One  player  stands 
on  one  side,  and  the  rest,  who  remain  on  the  other,  pass  one 
by  one  between  the  sheet  and  the  candle  which  throws  their 
shadows  upon  it.  The  aim  of  the  single  player  is  to  put  right 
names  to  the  shadows  on  the  sheet,  and  the  aim  of  the  others 
is,  by  performing  antics,  to  keep  him  from  recognizing  them. 
If  it  is  not  convenient  to  use  both  sides  of  a  sheet,  the  single 
player  may  sit  on  a  hassock  close  to  it  with  his  back  to  the 
others,  while  they  pass  between  his  hassock  and  the  candle. 

The  Donkey's  Tail 

A  good-sized  donkey  without  a  tail  is  cut  out  of  brown 
paper  and  fixed  on  a  screen  or  on  a  sheet  hung  across  the 
room.  The  tail  is  cut  out  separately  and  a  hat-pin  is  put 
through  that  end  of  it  which  comes  nearest  the  body.  Each 
player  in  turn  then  holds  the  tail  by  the  pin,  shuts  his  eyes 
honestly,  and,  advancing  to  the  donkey,  pins  the  tail  in  what 
he  believes  to  be  the  right  place.  The  fun  lies  in  his  mistake. 

The  Blind  Feeding  the  Blind 

This  is  boisterous  and  rather  messy,  but  it  has  many 
supporters.  Two  players  are  blindfolded  and  seated  on  the 
floor  opposite  one  another.  They  are  each  given  a  dessert- 
spoonful of  sugar  or  flour  and  are  told  to  feed  each  other. 


0  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

It  is  well  to  put  a  sheet  on  the  floor  and  to  tie  a  towel  or 
apron  round  the  necks  of  the  players.  The  fun  belongs  chiefly 
to  the  spectators. 

Deer  Stalking 

This  is  a  game  in  which  only  two  players  take  part,  but 
it  is  exciting  to  watch.  Both  "  Deer  "  and  "  Stalker "  are 
blindfolded.  They  are  then  placed  at  opposite  ends  of  a  large 
table,  and  at  a  given  moment  begin  to  move  round  it.  The 
stalker's  business  is,  of  course,  to  catch  the  deer,  and  the  deer's 
to  avoid  it ;  but  neither  must  run  out  into  the  room.  Ab- 
solute silence  should  be  kept  both  by  the  audience  and  players, 
and  if  felt  slippers  can  be  worn  by  the  deer  and  its  stalker, 
so  much  the  better. 


Blowing  Out  the  Candle 

A  very  funny  blind  game.  A  candle  is  lighted  and 
placed  in  position  about  the  height  of  a  person's  head.  A 
player  is  then  placed  a  few  feet  from  it,  facing  it,  and,  after 
being  blindfolded  and  turned  round  three  times,  is  told  to  take 
so  many  paces  (however  many  it  may  be)  and  blow  the  candle 
out. 


Apple-Snapping 

Another  amusing  blind  game  to  watch  is  apple-snapping. 
An  apple  is  hung  from  a  string  in  the  middle  of  the  room  about 
the  height  of  the  blind  man's  head.  The  blind  man's  hands 
are  then  tied,  or  he  holds  them  strictly  behind  him,  and  he  has 
to  bite  the  apple. 

The  same  game  can  be  played  without  blindfolding,  but 
in  that  case  it  requires  two  players  with  their  hands  fixed  be- 
hind them,  each  trying  to  bite  the  apple. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  7 

Bag  and  Stick 

A  good  blind  game  for  a  Christmas  party  is  "  Bag  and 
Stick."  A  fair-sized  paper  bag  is  filled  with  candy  and  hung 
from  a  string  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  A  player  is  then 
blindfolded,  turned  round  three  times,  given  a  stick,  and  told 
he  may  have  one,  two,  or  three  shots  at  the  bag,  whichever  it 
may  be.  If  he  misses  it,  another  one  tries,  and  so  on  ;  but  if 
he  hits  it  the  bag  breaks,  the  candy  covers  the  floor,  and  the 
party  scramble  for  it. 

Puss  in  the  Corner 

Each  player  save  one  takes  a  corner.  The  other,  who  is 
the  puss,  stands  in  the  middle.  The  game  begins  by  one  cor- 
ner player  beckoning  to  another  to  change  places.  Their  ob- 
ject is  to  get  safely  into  each  other's  corner  before  the  cat  can. 
Puss's  aim  is  to  find  a  corner  unprotected.  If  she  does  so,  the 
player  who  has  just  left  it,  or  the  player  who  was  hoping  to 
be  in  it,  becomes  puss,  according  to  whether  or  not  they  have 
crossed  on  their  journey. 

Hunt  the  Slipper 

The  players  sit  in  a  circle  on  the  floor,  with  their  knees 
a  little  gathered  up.  One  stands  in  the  middle  with  a  slipper, 
and  the  game  is  begun  by  this  one  handing  the  slipper  to  a 
player  in  the  circle,  with  the  remark — 

Cobbler,  cobbler,  mend  my  shoe, 
Get  it  done  by  half-past  two, 

and  then  retiring  from  the  circle  for  a  few  moments.  The 
player  to  whom  it  was  handed  at  once  passes  it  on,  so  that 
when  the  owner  of  the  slipper  returns  and  demands  her  prop- 
erty again  it  cannot  be  found.  With  the  hunt  that  then  sets 
in  the  fun  begins ;  the  object  of  every  player  in  the  circle 
being  to  keep  the  player  in  the  middle  from  seeing  the  slip- 


8  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

per,  from  getting  hold  of  it,  or  from  knowing  where  it  is,  as 
it  rapidly  travels  under  the  knees  of  the  players  here  and  there 
in  the  circle.  Now  and  then,  if  the  seeker  is  badly  mystified, 
the  slipper  may  be,  tossed  across  the  circle.  The  player  in 
whose  possession  it  is  when  at  last  secured  changes  place  with 
the  one  in  the  middle.  Other  handy  things  will  do  quite  as 
well  as  a  slipper,  but  something  fairly  large  should  be  chosen, 
or  discovery  may  take  too  long ;  and  it  ought  to  be  soft  in 
texture,  or  there  may  be  bruises. 

The  Whistle 

This  is  partly  a  trick.  A  player  who  does  not  know  the 
game  is  put  in  the  middle  of  the  ring,  round  which  a  whistle 
is  moving  in  the  way  that  the  slipper  moves  in  "  Hunt  the 
Slipper."  The  object  of  the  player  in  the  middle  is  to  dis- 
cover the  person  who  blew  the  whistle  last.  Meanwhile  some 
one  skilfully  fixes  another  whistle  on  a  string  to  the  player's 
back,  and  that  is  the  whistle  which  is  really  blown.  As  it  must 
always  be  behind  him  when  it  is  blown,  nothing  but  the  twitch 
ing  of  the  string  is  likely  to  help  him  to  discover  the  blower 
(and  the  trick) ;  and  in  a  small  circle  where  every  one  is  mov- 
ing and  laughing  it  takes  some  time  to  notice  the  twitching 
at  all. 

He  Can  Do  Little  Who  Can't  Do  This 
This  is  partly  a  trick.  The  leader  takes  a  cane  in  his  left 
hand,  thumps  on  the  floor  several  times,  and  passes  it  to  a 
player  saying,  "  He  can  do  little  who  can't  do  this."  The 
player  tries  to  imitate  him  exactly,  but  if  he  takes  the  cane  in 
his  right  hand  he  is  wrong,  the  leader  says,  "  You  can  do  lit- 
tle, you  can't  do  this,"  and  hands  the  cane  to  the  next  player. 
The  game  goes  on  until  every  one  has  guessed  that  it  is  not 
the  thumps  which  are  to  be  imitated,  but  the  holding  the  cane 
in  the  left  hand. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  9 

Thimble 

This  is  a  very  good  game.  All  the  company  leave  the 
room  save  one.  He  stays  behind  with  a  thimble,  which  he 
has  to  place  in  some  position,  where,  though  it  is  in  sight,  it 
will  be  difficult  to  discover.  It  may  be  high  or  low,  on  the 
floor  or  on  the  mantelpiece,  but  it  must  be  visible.  The  com- 
pany then  return  and  begin  to  look  for  it.  As  the  players  find 
it  they  sit  down,  but  it  is  more  fun  to  do  this  very  craftily  and 
not  at  once,  lest  a  hint  be  given  as  to  the  article's  whereabouts. 
When  every  one  has  found  it,  or  when  a  long  enough  time  has 
been  passed  in  looking  for  it,  the  thimble  is  hidden  again, 
this  time  by  the  player  who  found  it  first.  The  game  sounds 
easy,  but  it  can  be  very  difficult  and  very  exciting,  every  one 
at  the  beginning  of  each  search  wishing  to  be  first,  and  at  the 
end  wishing  not  to  be  last.  Players  often  stand  right  over 
the  thimble,  staring  directly  at  it,  and  still  do  not  see  it. 


Magic  Music 

One  player  goes  out.  The  others  then  hide  something  for 
him  to  find,  or  decide  upon  some  simple  action  for  him  to  per- 
form, such  as  standing  on  a  chair.  When  he  is  called  in,  one 
of  the  company  seats  herself  at  the  piano  and  directs  his 
movements  by  the  tone  of  the  music.  If  he  is  far  from  the 
object  hidden  the  music  is  very  low ;  as  he  gets  nearer  and 
nearer  it  becomes  louder  and  louder. 


Hot  and  Cold 

The  same  game  is  played  under  the  name  of  "  Hot  and 
Cold."  In  this  case  the  player  is  directed  by  words ;  as  he 
gets  nearer  and  nearer  the  object  he  becomes  "  warm,"  "  hot," 
"  very  hot,"  "  burning " ;  when  quite  off  the  scent  he  is 
"cold." 


10  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

The  Jolly  Miller 

The  one  who  shall  be  "  it "  is  decided  upon  by  counting 
out  (see  page  134),  and  he  takes  his  place  in  the  middle  of 
the  room.  The  others,  arm  in  arm,  walk  around  him  in 
couples,  singing, 

There  was  a  jolly  miller  who  lived  by  himself. 
As  the  wheel  went  around  he  made  his  wealth  ; 
One  hand  on  the  hopper  and  the  other  on  the  bag : 
As  the  wheel  went  around  he  made  his  grab. 

At "  Grab,"  every  one  must  change  partners,  and  the  one  in 
the  middle  tries  to  be  quick  enough  to  get  one  himself.  If  he 
does,  the  one  left  alone  must  take  his  place  in  the  middle  and 
be  the  "Jolly  Miller." 

Going  to  Jerusalem 

Some  one  sits  at  the  piano,  and  a  long  row  of  chairs  is 
made  down  the  middle  of  the  room,  either  back  to  back,  or 
back  and  front  alternately.  There  must  be  one  chair  fewer 
than  the  number  of  players.  When  all  is  ready  the  music  begins 
and  the  players  march  round  the  chairs  in  a  long  line.  3ud- 
denly  the  music  stops,  and  directly  it  does  so  every  one  tries 
to  sit  down.  As  there  is  one  player  too  many  some  one  must 
necessarily  be  left  without  a  chair.  That  player  has  therefore 
to  leave  the  game,  another  chair  is  taken  away,  and  the  music 
begins  again.  So  on  to  the  end,  a  chair  and  a  player  going 
after  each  round.  The  winner  of  the  game  is  the  one  who, 
when  only  one  chair  is  left,  gets  it.  It  is  against  the  rules  to 
move  the  chairs.  A  piano,  it  ought  to  be  pointed  out,  is  not 
absolutely  necessary.  Any  form  of  music  will  do ;  or  if  there 
is  no  instrument  some  one  may  sing,  or  read  aloud.  But  a 
piano  is  best,  and  the  pianist  ought  now  and  then  to  pretend 
to  stop,  because  this  makes  it  more  exciting  for  the  players. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  11 

Stir  the  Mash 

This  is  another  variety  of  "  Going  to  Jerusalem."  The 
chairs  are  placed  against  the  wall  in  a  row,  one  fewer  f,han  the 
players.  One  of  the  players  sits  down  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  with  a  stick  and  pretends  to  be  stirring  a  bowl  of  mash 
with  it,  while  the  others  march  round  crying,  "Stir  the  mash, 
stir  the  mash."  Suddenly  the  player  with  the  stick  knocks 
three  times  on  the  floor,  which  is  the  signal  for  running  for 
the  chairs,  and,  leaping  up,  runs  for  them  too.  The  one  who 
does  not  get  a  chair  has  to  stir  the  mash  next. 

Caterpillar 

A  circle  of  chairs  is  made,  and  all  the  players  but  one  sit 
on  them.  This  player  stands  in  the  middle  and  his  chair  is 
left  empty.  The  game  consists  in  his  efforts  to  sit  down  in 
the  empty  chair  and  the  others'  attempts  to  stop  him  by  con- 
tinually moving  one  way  or  the  other,  so  that  the  empty  chair 
may  this  moment  be  on  one  side  of  the  ring  and  the  next  on 
the  other. 

Honey-Pots 

This  is  a  game  for  several  little  players  and  two  stronger 
ones.  The  little  ones  are  the  honey-pots,  and  the  others  the 
honey-seller  and  honey-buyer.  The  honey-pots  sit  in  a  row 
with  their  knees  gathered  up  and  their  hands  locked  together 
under  them.  The  honey-buyer  comes  to  look  at  them,  asking 
the  honey-seller  how  much  they  are  and  how  much  they 
weigh  ;  and  these  two  take  hold  of  the  pots  by  the  arms,  one 
on  each  side,  and  weigh  them  by  swinging  them  up  and  down 
(that  is  why  the  hands  have  to  be  tightly  locked  under  the 
knees).  Then  the  buyer  says  he  will  have  them,  and  the 
seller  and  he  carry  them  to  the  other  end  of  the  room  to- 
gether. Once  there  the  seller  returns,  but  quickly  comes  run- 


12  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

ning  back  in  alarm  because  he  has  missed  his  own  little  girl 
(or  boy),  and  he  fancies  she  must  be  in  one  of  the  honey-pots. 
The  buyer  assures  him  that  he  is  mistaken,  and  tells  him  to 
taste  them  and  see  for  himself  that  they  are  only  honey.  So 
the  seller  goes  from  one  to  the  other,  placing  his  hand  on 
their  heads  and  pretending  to  taste  honey,  until  at  last,  com- 
ing to  the  one  he  has  marked  down,  he  exclaims,  "  Dear 
me,  this  tastes  just  like  my  little  girl."  At  these  words  the 
little  girl  in  question  jumps  up  and  runs  away,  and  all  the 
other  honey-pots  run  away  too. 

Nuts  in  May 

The  players  stand  in  two  rows,  facing  each  other  and 
holding  hands.  A  line  is  drawn  on  the  carpet  (or  ground)  be- 
tween them.  One  row  then  step  toward  the  other,  singing  — 

Here  we  come  gathering  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May, 
Here  we  come  gathering  nuts  in  May,  on  a  cold  and  frosty  morning. 

They  then  fall  back  and  the  other  row  advance  to  them 
singing  in  reply  — 

Pray,  who  will  you  gather  for  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May  ? 
Pray,  who  will  you  gather  for  nuts  in  May,  on  a  cold  and  frosty  morning  ? 

The  first  row,  after  settling  on  the  particular  player  on 
the  opposite  side  that  they  want,  reply  thus  — 

We'll  gather  Phyllis  for  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May,  nuts  in  May, 
We'll  gather  Phyllis  for  nuts  in  May,  on  a  cold  and  frosty  morning. 

The  other  row  then  ask  — 

Pray,  who  will  you  send  to  fetch  her  away,  fetch  her  away,  fetch  her  away  ? 
Pray,  who  will  you  Bend  to  fetch  her  away,  on  a  cold  and  frosty  morning  ? 

The  answer  perhaps  is  — 

We're  sending  Arthur  to  fetch  her  away,  fetch  her  away,  fetch  her  away, 
We're  sending  Arthur  to  fetch  her  away,  on  a  cold  and  frosty  morning. 

Arthur  then  steps  up  to  the  line  on  one  side  and  Phyllis  on 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  13 

the  other,  and  each  tries  to  pull  the  other  over  it.  The  one 
that  loses  has  to  join  the  other  row,  and  the  singing  begins 
again. 

Old  Soldier 

All  the  players,  except  one,  stand  in  a  line.  The  other, 
who  is  the  old  soldier,  then  totters  up  to  the  end  player,  say- 
ing— 

Here  comes  an  old  soldier  from  Botany  Bay ; 
Pray,  what  have  you  got  to  give  him  to-day  ? 

The  player  must  then  say  what  she  will  give  him,  but  in  do- 
ing so  must  not  use  the  words  "yes,"  "  no,"  "  black,"  "  white"  or 
"  scarlet."  The  old  soldier's  object  is  to  try  and  coax  one  of 
these  words  out  of  her,  and  he  may  ask  any  question  he  likes 
in  order  to  do  so.  A  mistake  usually  means  a  forfeit. 

My  Lady's  Clothes 

A  color-barred  game  for  girls  is  "  My  Lady's  Clothes  " 
or  "  Dressing  the  Lady."  The  players  first  decide  on  what 
colors  shall  be  forbidden,  perhaps  blue,  black,  and  pink. 
The  first  one  then  asks  the  next,  "  How  shall  my  lady  be 
dressed  for  the  ball  ?  "  and  the  answer  must  contain  no  men- 
tion of  these  colors.  This  question  goes  round  the  ring,  no 
article  being  allowed  to  be  mentioned  twice. 

Here  I  Bake 

One  player  stands  in  the  middle.  The  others  join  hands 
and  surround  her,  their  aim  being  to  prevent  her  from  getting 
out  of  the  ring.  She  then  passes  round  the  ring  touching  the 
hands,  at  the  first  hands  saying  "  Here  I  bake,"  at  the  second 
"  Here  I  brew,"  at  the  third  "  Here  I  make  my  wedding-cake," 
and  at  the  next  "  And  here  I  mean  to  break  through." 
With  these  last  words  she  makes  a  dash  to  carry  out  the  threat. 
If  she  succeeds,  the  player  whose  hand  gave  way  first  takes 


14  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

her  place  in  the  middle.     Otherwise  she  must  persevere  until 
the  ring  is  broken. 

The  Cobbler 

The  cobbler  sits  in  the  middle  on  a  stool  or  hassock,  and 
the  others  join  hands  and  dance  round  him.  "  Now  then, 
customers,"  says  the  cobbler,  "  let  me  try  on  your  shoes,"  and 
at  the  same  time  —  but  without  leaving  his  seat — makes  a  dash 
for  some  one's  feet.  The  aim  of  the  others  is  to  avoid  being 
caught.  Whoever  is  caught  becomes  cobbler. 

Cushion 

The  name  of  this  game  dates  from  the  period  when  stiff 
cylinder-shaped  horsehair  sofa-cushions  were  commoner  than 
they  are  now.  One  of  these  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  and  the  players  join  hands  and  dance  round  it,  the  ob- 
ject of  each  one  being  to  make  one  of  his  neighbors  knock 
the  cushion  over  and  to  avoid  knocking  it  over  himself.  Who- 
ever does  knock  it  down  leaves  the  ring,  until  at  last  there  are 
only  two  striving  with  each  other.  A  hearth-brush,  if  it  can 
be  persuaded  to  stand  up,  makes  a  good  substitute  for  a 
cushion.  It  also  makes  the  game  more  difficult,  being  so  very 
sensitive  to  touch. 

The  Day's  Shopping 

The  players  sit  in  a  ring,  and  the  game  is  begun  by  one 
saying  to  the  next,  "I've  just  come  back  from  shopping." 
"  Yes,"  is  the  reply,  "  and  what  have  you  bought  ?  "  The 
first  speaker  has  then  to  name  some  article  which,  without 
leaving  her  seat,  she  can  touch,  such  as  a  pair  of  boots,  a 
necktie,  a  watch-chain,  a  bracelet.  Having  done  so,  the  next 
player  takes  up  the  character  of  the  shopper,  and  so  on  round 
the  ring.  ISTo  article  must,  however,  be  named  twice,  which 


GAMES  FOR  A  PART\  15 

means  that  when  the  game  has  gone  on  for  a  round  or  two  the 
answers  become  very  difficult  to  find. 

Clap  In,  Clap  Out 

Half  the  players  go  out,  and  the  others  stay  in  and  ar- 
range the  chairs  in  a  line  so  that  there  is  an  empty  one  next 
to  every  person.  Each  then  chooses  which  of  the  others  he 
will  have  to  occupy  the  adjoining  chair,  and  when  this  is  set- 
tled some  one  tells  the  outside  party  that  they  can  begin. 
One  of  them  then  comes  in  and  takes  the  chair  for  which  he 
thinks  it  most  likely  that  he  has  been  chosen.  If  he  is  right, 
everybody  claps  and  he  stays  there.  But  if  wrong,  everybody 
hisses  and  he  has  to  go  out  again.  Another  player  then 
comes  in,  and  so  on  until  all  the  chairs  are  filled. 

Neighbors 

An  extension  of  this  game  is  "  Neighbors."  In  "  Neigh- 
bors "  half  the  company  are  blindfolded,  and  are  seated  with 
an  empty  chair  on  the  right  hand  of  each.  At  a  given  signal 
all  the  other  players  occupy  these  empty  chairs,  as  myste- 
riously as  they  can,  and  straightway  begin  to  sing,  either  all 
to  a  tune  played  on  the  piano  or  independently.  The  object 
of  the  blind  players  is  to  find  out,  entirely  by  the  use  of  the 
ear,  who  it  is  that  is  seated  on  their  right.  Those  that  guess 
correctly  are  unbandaged,  and  their  places  are  taken  by  the 
players  whose  names  they  guessed.  The  others  continue 
blindfolded  until  they  guess  rightly.  One  guess  only  is 
allowed  each  time. 

Oranges  and  Lemons,  or  London  Bridge  is  Falling  Down 

This  pleasant  old  game  begins  by  two  of  the  older  or 

taller  players  —  one  being  Oranges  and  the  other  Lemons  — 

taking   places  opposite  each  other  and  joining  their  hands 

high,  thus  making  an  arch  for  the  rest  to  pass  under  in  a  long 


16  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  •? 

line.  The  procession  then  starts,  each  one  holding  the  one  in 
front  by  the  coat  or  dress.  As  the  procession  moves  along, 
the  two  players  forming  the  arch  repeat  or  chant  these 
lines :  — 

"Oranges  and  lemons," 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Clement's. 
"  You  owe  me  five  farthings," 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Martin's. 
11  When  will  you  pay  me?  " 

Say  the  bells  of  Old  Bailey. 
"When  I  grow  rich," 

Say  the  bells  of  Shoreditch. 
"When  will  that  be?" 

Say  the  bells  of  Stepney. 
"  I  do  not  know," 

Says  the  great  bell  of  Bow. 

Here  comes  a  candle  to  light  you  to  bed, 

And  here  comes  a  chopper  to  chop  off  the  last  man's  head. 

With  these  final  words  the  arch-players  lower  their  arms  and 
catch  the  head  of  the  last  of  the  procession.  In  order  that 
the  arrival  of  the  end  of  the  procession  and  the  end  of  the 
verses  shall  come  together,  the  last  line  can  be  lengthened 
like  this  — 

And  here  comes  a  chopper  to  chop  off  the  last— last— last— last  man's  head. 
Another  shorter  verse  which  is  often  sung  is, 

London  Bridge  is  falling  down,  falling  down,  falling  down, 
London  Bridge  is  falling  down.     My  fair  lady. 

In  this  case  the  two  players  who  make  the  arch  with  their 
arms  can  choose  any  eatables  they  like  —  "  ice  cream  "  and 
"  oysters."  The  players  who  are  caught  are  asked  which  they 
prefer  and  their  places  are  back  of  the  one  representing  their 
choice.  The  captured  player  is  then  asked  in  a  whisper  which 
he  will  be,  oranges  or  lemons  ?  and  if  he  says  oranges,  is 
placed  accordingly  behind  that  one  of  his  capturers  who  is  to 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  17 

have  the  oranges  on  his  side.  The  procession  and  the  rhyme 
begin  again,  and  so  on  until  all  are  caught  and  are  ranged  on 
their  respective  sides.  Then  a  handkerchief  is  placed  on  the 
floor  between  the  captains  of  the  oranges  and  the  lemons,  and 
both  sides  pull,  as  in  the  "  Tug  of  War  "  (page  38),  until  one 
side  is  pulled  over  the  handkerchief. 

General  Post 

The  players  sit  round  the  room  in  a  large  circle,  and, 
after  appointing  a  postmaster  to  write  down  their  names  and 
call  out  the  changes,  choose  each  a  town.  One  player  is  then 
blindfolded  and  placed  in  the  middle.  The  game  begins  when 
the  postmaster  calls  out  the  first  journey,  thus,  "  The  post  is 
going  from  Putney  to  Hongkong."  The  player  who  has 
chosen  Putney  and  the  player  who  has  chosen  Hongkong 
must  then  change  places  without  being  caught  by  the  blind 
man,  or  without  letting  him  get  into  either  of  their  chairs 
first.  Otherwise  the  player  who  is  caught,  or  who  ought  to  be 
in  that  chair,  becomes  the  blind  man.  Every  now  and  then 
"'General  Post"  is  called,  when  all  the  players  have  to 
change  seats  at  the  same  time ;  and  this  gives  the  blind  man 
an  excellent  chance. 

Spin  the  Platter 

A  tin  plate,  to  serve  as  platter,  is  placed  in  the  middle 
of  the  room.  The  players  sit  round  it  in  a  large  circle, 
each  choosing  either  a  number  by  which  to  be  known,  or 
the  name  of  a  town.  The  game  is  begun  by  one  player 
taking  up  the  plate,  spinning  it,  calling  out  a  number  or  town 
belonging  to  another,  and  hurrying  back  to  his  place.  The 
one  called  has  to  spring  up  and  reach  the  plate  before  i 
falls,  and,  giving  it  a  fresh  spin,  call  some  one  else.  So  it 
goes  on.  On  paper  there  seems  to  be  little  in  it,  but  in 


18  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

actual  play  the  game  is  good  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of 
quite  realizing  that  it  is  one's  own  borrowed  name  that  has 
been  called. 

Kitchen  Utensils 

This  is  a  variety  of  "  Spin  the  platter."  The  players  sit 
in  E.  ring  and  choose  each  the  name  of  some  kitchen  utensil  or 
something  used  in  cooking,  such  as  meat-chopper  or  raisins. 
One  player  then  goes  in  the  middle  with  a  bunched-up  hand- 
kerchief, and  this  he  throws  at  some  one,  at  the  same  time 
trying  to  say  the  name  of  that  some  one's  kitchen  utensil 
three  times  before  that  some  one  can  say  it  once.  If,  as  very 
often  happens,  the  player  at  whom  the  handkerchief  is  thrown 
is  so  completely  bewildered  as  to  have  lost  the  power  of 
speech  or  memory  until  it  is  too  late,  he  must  change  places 
with  the  one  in  the  middle. 

Up  Jenkins 

The  players  sit  on  opposite  sides  of  a  table,  or  in  two  op- 
posite rows  of  chairs  with  a  cloth  spread  over  their  laps.  A 
quarter  or  dime  or  other  small  object  is  then  passed  about 
among  the  hands  of  one  of  the  sides  under  the  table  or 
cloth.  At  the  word  "  Up  Jenkins ! "  called  by  the  other  side 
all  these  hands  tightly  clenched  must  be  at  once  placed  in 
view  on  the  table  or  the  cloth.  The  first  player  on  the  other 
side  then  carefully  scans  the  faces  of  his  opponents  to  see  if 
any  one  bears  an  expression  which  seems  to  betray  his  posses- 
sion of  the  quarter,  and,  having  made  up  his  mind,  reaches 
over  and  touches  the  hand  in  which  he  hopes  the  quarter  is, 
saying,  "  Tip  it."  The  hand  is  then  opened.  If  the  guess  is 
right  the  guessing  side  take  the  quarter  and  hide  it.  If 
wrong,  the  same  side  hide  it  again,  and  the  second  player  on 
the  guessing  side  tries  his  luck  at  discovering  its  where- 
abouts. A  score  is  decided  on  before  the  game  begins,  and 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  19 

the  winning  side  is  that  which  make  the  fewest  number  of 
wrong  guesses. 

Another  way  to  play  "  Up  Jenkins "  is  to  have  the 
players,  equally  divided,  sit  opposite  each  other  at  a  table. 
A  quarter  is  then  passed  along  under  the  table  by  one 
side  or  team.  At  the  command  "  Up  Jenkins,"  given  by  the 
captain  of  the  other  side,  chosen  beforehand,  all  the  players 
on  the  side  having  the  coin  must  lift  their  hands  above  the 
table ;  and  at  the  command  "  Down  Jenkins,"  also  given  by 
the  captain,  all  the  hands  must  be  brought  down  flat  on  the 
table.  The  greater  the  bang  with  which  this  is  done,  the  less 
chance  of  detecting  the  sound  of  the  metal  striking  the 
table.  The  captain  then  orders  the  players  to  raise  their 
hands  one  by  one,  his  object  being  to  leave  the  coin  in  the 
last  hand.  If  he  succeeds,  his  side  takes  the  coin ;  if  he  fails, 
the  other  side  score  the  number  of  hands  still  left  on  the 
table,  and  again  hide  the  coin.  Another  person  then  be- 
comes captain.  If  the  coin  can  be  "  spotted  "  in  a  certain 
hand,  either  by  sight  or  sound,  before  a  hand  has  been  re- 
moved, it  has  to  be  forfeited,  and  the  side  that  wins  it  adds 
double  the  number  of  hands  of  the  other  side  to  their  score. 
If  it  is  "  spotted  "  and  is  not  in  that  hand,  the  side  still  re- 
tains the  coin,  and  also  score  double  the  number  of  hands.  If 
anybody  obeys  any  one  else  but  the  captain,  in  raising,  lower- 
ing or  removing  his  hands,  his  side  loses  the  coin,  no  matter 
who  holds  it,  but  neither  side  scores. 

Hunt  the  Ring 

All  the  players  but  one  form  a  circle,  with  their  hands 
on  a  piece  of  string  on  which  a  ring  has  been  threaded.  The 
other  player  stands  in  the  middle  of  the  circle.  The  ring  is 
then  hurried  up  and  down  the  string  from  end  to  end,  the  ob- 


20  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

ject  being  to  keep  its  whereabouts  hidden  from  the  other 
player. 

Lady  Queen  Anne 

In  this  game,  which  is  usually  played  by  girls,  one  player 
hides  her  eyes,  while  the  others,  who  are  sitting  in  a  row,  pass 
a  ball  from  one  to  another  until  it  is  settled  who  shall  keep  it. 
This  done,  they  all  hide  their  hands  in  their  laps,  as  if  each 
one  had  it ;  and  the  other  player  is  called,  her  aim  being  to 
discover  in  whose  hands  the  ball  is  hidden.  She  examines 
the  faces  of  the  others  very  closely  until  she  makes  up  her 
mind  which  one  probably  has  the  ball,  and  then  addresses  that 
one  thus  — 

Lady  Queen  Anne,  she  sits  iu  the  sun, 

As  fair  as  a  lily,  as  brown  as  a  bun, 

She  sends  you  three  letters  and  prays  you'll  read  one. 

To  this  the  player  replies  — 

I  cannot  read  one  unless  I  read  all ; 
and  the  seeker  answers  — 

Then  pray,  Miss  [whatever  the  name  is],  deliver  the  ball. 

If  the  ball  really  is  with  this  player,  the  seeker  and  she  change 
places,  but  otherwise  the  seeker  hides  her  eyes  again  and  the 
ball  changes  hands  (or  not).  And  so  on  until  it  is  found. 

Another  way  is  for  sides  to  be  taken,  one  consisting  ol 
Queen  Anne  and  her  maids  and  the  other  of  gipsies.  The 
gipsies  have  the  ball  first,  and,  having  hidden  it,  they  advance 
in  a  line  toward  Queen  Anne,  each  holding  up  her  skirts  as  if 
the  ball  were  there,  singing  — 

Lady  Queen  Anne,  she  sits  in  the  sun, 
As  fair  as  a  lily,  as  brown  as  a  bun. 
King  John  has  sent  you  letters  three, 
And  begs  you'll  read  one  unto  me. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  21 

Lady  Queen  Anne  and  her  maids  reply  — 

We  cannot  read  one  unless  we  read  all, 
So  pray,  Miss  [whatever  the  name  of  the  player  chosen  may  be],  deliver  the  ball. 

If  they  have  hit  upon  the  right  player  she  goes  over  to  Queen 
Anne's  side.     But  if  not,  the  gipsies  sing  — 

The  ball  is  mine,  it  is  not  thine, 

So  you,  proud  Queen,  sit  still  on  your  throne, 

While  we  poor  gipsies  go  and  come. 

They  then  turn  round  and  hide  the  ball  again. 

The  Feather 

A  very  exhausting  game.  The  players  sit  round  a  table 
and  form  sides,  one  half  against  the  other,  and  a  little  fluffy 
feather  is  placed  in  the  middle.  The  aim  of  each  side  is  to 
blow  the  feather  so  that  it  settles  in  the  other  camp,  and  to 
keep  it  from  settling  in  their  own. 

The  same  game  can  be  played  with  a  marble  on  a  table 
from  which  the  table-cloth  has  been  removed.  In  this  case 
you  all  sink  your  faces  to  the  level  of  the  table. 

Russian  Scandal,  or  "  Gossip  " 

The  players  sit  in  a  long  line  or  ring.  The  first,  turning 
to  the  second,  whispers  very  rapidly  some  remark  or  a  brief 
story.  The  second,  who  may  hear  it  distinctly,  but  probably 
does  not,  then  whispers  it  as  exactly  as  he  can  to  the  third 
player ;  and  so  on  until  the  line  is  finished.  The  last  player 
then  whispers  it  to  the  first  player ;  and  the  first  player  re- 
peats his  original  remark  to  the  company,  and  follows  it  with 
the  form  in  which  it  has  just  reached  him. 

Advertisements 

All  the  players  sit  in  a  ring,  except  one,  who  stands  in  the 
middle  holding  a  soft  cushion.  This  he  throws  at  any  one  of 
the  players  and  begins  to  count  ten.  The  person  at  whom  the 


22  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

cushion  was  thrown  must  call  out  the  words  of  a  well-known 
advertisement  before  ten  is  reached.  If  he  fails  he  must  pay 
a  forfeit. 

Judge  and  Jury 

The  players,  or  jury,  form  up  in  two  rows  facing  each  other. 
Tne  judge  sits  at  one  end,  or  passes  between  the  two  lines,  and 
asks  his  questions.  These  may  be  of  any  description.  Perhaps 
he  will  say, "  Miss  A,  do  you  think  it  will  rain  to-morrow  ?  " 
Now  although  the  judge  addresses  Miss  A  and  looks  at  her,  it  is 
not  she  who  must  answer  but  the  player  opposite  to  her.  And 
he  in  his  answer  is  not  allowed  to  say  either  "Yes,""  No," 
"Black,"  "White,"  or  "Gray."  If  the  player  who  was  ad- 
dressed answers  she  becomes  judge  and  the  judge  takes  her  seat; 
or  if  the  opposite  player  does  not  answer  before  the  judge  has 
counted  ten  he  becomes  judge  and  the  judge  takes  his  seat. 

Cross  Questions 

The  players  sit  in  a  circle,  and  the  game  begins  by  one 
player  turning  to  the  next  and  asking  a  question.  Perhaps  it 
will  be,  "  Did  you  get  very  wet  this  evening  ?  "  The  answer 
may  be,  "Fortunately  I  had  a  mackintosh."  The  second 
player  then  asks  the  third,  and  so  on  round  the  circle  until  it 
comes  to  the  first  player's  turn  to  be  asked  a  question  by  the 
last  one.  Perhaps  this  question  will  be,  "  I  hope  your  cousin 
is  better  ?  "  All  these  questions  and  answers  have  to  be  very 
carefully  remembered,  because  on  the  circle  being  complete 
each  player  in  turn  has  to  repeat  the  question  which  was  put 
to  her  and  the  answer  which  she  received  to  the  question 
which  she  herself  put.  Thus  in  the  present  instance  the  first 
player  would  announce  that  the  question  was,  "  I  hope  your 
cousin  is  better  ?  "  and  the  answer,  "  Fortunately  I  had  a 
mackintosh."  Another  variety  of  cross  question  is  played  as 
follows.  The  company  is  divided  into  two  parts,  and  stand 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  23 

facing  each  other.  A  leader  is  chosen  for  each  side,  one  to  give 
the  questions  and  one  to  give  the  answers.  One  goes  down  his 
side  giving  to  each  player  in  a  whisper  some  serious  question 
which  he  must  ask  of  his  opposite  in  the  other  line.  The  other 
leader  whispers  to  each  of  his  players  an  absurd  answer. 
Then  the  play  begins.  The  first  in  line  asks  his  opponent  his 
question  and  receives  the  absurd  answer  three  times.  If  either 
of  them  smile  he  is  put  out  of  the  game.  The  person  who  can 
keep  a  straight  face  to  the  last,  wins  the  prize.  After  the 
whole  line  has  asked  and  answered  the  first  set  of  questions, 
the  first  couple  become  the  leaders,  and  propound  two  other  sets 
of  questions  and  answers.  And  so  on  until  only  two  are  left. 

Ruth  and  Jacob 

One  player  has  his  eyes  blinded  and  stands  in  a  circle  made 
by  the  other  players.  They  dance  silently  around  him  until  he 
points  at  one,  who  must  then  enter  the  circle  and  try  to  avoid 
being  caught  by  the  blind  man.  The  pursuer  calls  out  from  time 
to  time  "  Kuth !  "  to  which  the  pursued  must  always  answer  at 
once  "  Jacob!"  at  the  same  time  trying  to  dodge  quickly  enough 
to  escape  the  other's  immediate  rush  to  the  spot.  After  the 
"Ruth  "  is  caught,  the  "Jacob  "must  guess  who  it  is  and  if 
he  guesses  right,  the  "  Ruth  "  is  blindfolded  and  becomes  the 
"  Jacob,"  and  the  game  begins  anew. 

Fly  Away! 

The  player  who  is  chosen  as  leader  sits  down  and  places 
the  first  finger  of  her  right  hand  on  her  knee.  The  others 
crowd  round  her  and  also  place  the  first  finger  of  their  right 
hands  on  her  knee,  close  to  hers.  The  game  is  for  the  leader 
to  raise  her  finger  suddenly,  saying,  "  Fly  away  [something]." 
If  that  something  is  not  capable  of  flight  the  other  fingers 
must  not  move,  but  if  it  can  fly  they  must  rise  also.  Thus, 
"  Fly  away,  thrush ! "  "  Fly  away,  pigeon  ! "  "  Fly  away,  but- 


24  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

terfly ! "  should  cause  all  the  fingers  to  spring  up.  But  of 
"  Fly  away,  omnibus  ! "  "  Fly  away,  cat ! "  "  Fly  away,  pig ! " 
no  notice  should  be  taken.  The  game  is,  of  course,  to  catch 
players  napping. 

Hold  Fast !     Let  Go  ! 

This  is  a  very  confusing  game  of  contraries  for  five  play- 
ers. Four  of  them  hold  each  the  corner  of  a  handkerchief. 
The  other,  who  stands  by  to  give  orders,  then  shouts  either 
"  Let  go  !  "  or  "  Hold  fast !  "  When  "  Let  go  ! "  is  called,  the 
handkerchief  must  be  held  as  firmly  as  ever  ;  but  when  "  Hold 
fast !  "  it  must  be  dropped.  The  commands  should  be  given 
quickly  and  now  and  then  repeated  to  add  to  the  anxiety  of 
the  other  players. 

The  Sergeant 

In  this  game  one  player  represents  a  sergeant  and  the 
others  are  soldiers  whom  he  is  drilling.  When  he  makes  an 
action  and  says  "  Do  this  "  the  others  have  to  imitate  him  ; 
but  if  he  says  "  Do  that "  they  must  take  no  notice. 

Simon  Says  Thumbs  Up 

The  players  sit  about  on  the  floor  or  on  chairs,  each  hold- 
ing out  on  his  knee  his  clenched  fist  with  the  thumb  sticking 
straight  up.  One  player  calls  out  "  Simon  says  thumbs  down." 
All  the  thumbs  must  be  instantly  reversed.  Then  he  tries  to 
confuse  them  by  alternating  between  up  and  down  for  some 
time  until  they  all  get  into  the  way  of  expecting  the  change, 
and  then  he  gives  the  same  order  twice  in  succession.  Those 
who  make  a  mistake  pay  a  forfeit.  If  he  calls  out  simply 
"  Thumbs  up  "  or  "  Thumbs  down  "  no  attention  must  be  paid 
to  this  order  as  a  forfeit  is  taken. 

The  orders  are  sometimes  varied  by  the  command  "  Simon 
says  wig-wag ! "  when  all  the  thumbs  must  be  waggled  to 
and  fro. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  25 

The  Grand  Mufti 

A  somewhat  similar  game  of  contraries  is  "  The  Grand 
Mufti."  The  player  personating  the  Grand  Mufti  stands  in 
the  middle  or  on  a  chair,  and  performs  whatever  action  he 
likes  with  his  hands,  arms,  head,  and  legs.  With  each  move- 
ment he  says,  "  Thus  does  the  Grand  Mufti,"  or,  "  So  does  the 
Grand  Mufti."  When  it  is  "  Thus  does  the  Grand  Mufti "  the 
other  players  must  imitate  his  movement ;  but  when  it  is  "  So 
does  the  Grand  Mufti "  they  must  take  no  notice.  Any  mis- 
takes may  lead  to  forfeits. 

The  Mandarins 

There  is  no  contrariness  about  "  The  Mandarins."  The 
players  sit  in  a  circle,  and  the  game  is  begun  by  one  of  them 
remarking  to  the  next,  "  My  ship  has  come  home  from  China." 
The  answer  is  "  Yes,  and  what  has  it  brought  ?  "  The  first 
player  replies,  "  A  fan,"  and  begins  to  fan  herself  with  her 
right  hand.  All  the  players  must  copy  her.  The  second 
player  then  turns  to  the  third  (all  still  fanning)  and  remarks, 
"  My  ship  has  come  home  from  China."  "  Yes,  and  what  has 
it  brought  ?  "  "  Two  fans."  All  the  players  then  fan  them- 
selves with  both  hands.  The  third  player,  to  the  fourth  (all 
still  fanning),  "  My  ship  has  come  home  from  China."  "  Yes, 
and  what  has  it  brought  ?  "  "  Three  fans."  All  the  players 
then  add  a  nodding  head  to  their  other  movements.  And  so 
on,  until  when  "  Nine  fans  "  is  reached,  heads,  eyes,  mouth, 
hands,  feet  and  body  are  all  moving.  The  answers  and  move- 
ments of  this  game  may  be  varied.  Thus  the  second  answer 
to  the  question  "  And  what  has  it  brought "  might  be  "  A 
bicycle,"  when  the  feet  of  all  the  players  would  have  to  move 
as  if  working  pedals  ;  the  third  answer  could  be  a  "  snuff- 
box," which  should  set  all  the  players  sneezing ;  and  so  on. 
A  typewriter,  a  piano,  a  barrel-organ,  a  football,  would  vary 
the  game. 


26  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

Buff 

This  test  of  self-control  is  rather  a  favorite ;  but  it  is  not 
so  much  a  game  as  a  means  of  distributing  forfeits.  The 
players  sit  in  a  circle.  One  then  stands  up  and,  holding  out  a 
stick,  repeats  these  lines  — 

Buff  says  Buff  to  all  his  men, 

And  I  say  Buff  to  you  again. 

Buff  never  laughs,  Buff  never  smiles, 

In  spite  of  all  your  cunning  wiles, 

But  carries  his  face 

With  a  very  good  grace, 

And  passes  his  stick  to  the  very  next  place. 

This  must  be  said  without  laughing  or  smiling.  Each  player 
in  turn  holds  the  stick  and  repeats  the  verses,  those  that 
laugh  or  smile  having,  when  it  is  over,  to  pay  a  forfeit. 

The  Ditto  Game 

This  is  another  game  in  which  laughter  is  forbidden. 
The  players  sit  close  together  in  a  silent  circle.  Whatever 
the  leader  does  the  others  have  to  do,  but  without  smile  or 
sound.  Perhaps  the  leader  will  begin  by  pulling  the  next 
player's  hair,  and  pass  on  to  pat  her  cheek,  or  prod  her  sides, 
or  pinch  her  nose. 

Statues 

Another  trial  of  composure.  The  players  choose  what 
positions  they  will  and  become  as  still  and  as  silent  as  statues. 
One  player  is  judge.  It  is  his  business  to  try  and  make  the 
statues  laugh.  All  who  laugh  pay  forfeits  ;  but  the  one  who 
keeps  his  face  grave  longest  becomes  "  Judge." 

Laughter 

"  Laughter  "  is  just  the  opposite.  The  company  sit  in  a 
circle  and  the  game  is  begun  by  one  throwing  a  handkerchief 
into  the  air.  Immediately  this  is  done  every  one  must  begin 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  27 

to  laugh  and  continue  to  laugh  until  the  handkerchief  touches 
the  ground.  They  must  then  stop  or  leave  the  circle.  Grad- 
ually all  will  leave  but  one,  who  must  then  perform  by  him- 
self, if  he  is  willing. 

The  Concerted  Sneeze 

One  third  of  the  company  agree  to  say  "  Hish  "  all  to- 
gether at  a  given  signal,  another  third  agree  to  say  "  Hash," 
and  the  rest  agree  to  say  "  Hosh."  The  word  of  command  is 
then  given,  and  the  result  is  the  sound  as  of  a  tremendous 
sneeze. 

Bingo 

In  "  Bingo "  the  players  begin  by  joining  hands  and 
marching  round,  singing  — 

There  was  a  farmer  had  a  dog 

His  name  was  Bobby  Bingo  O. 

B,  I,  N,  G,  O, 

B,  I,  N,  G,  O, 

B,  I,  N,  G,  O, 

And  Bingo  was  his  name  O  ! 

The  players  then  loose  hands,  the  girls  go  inside  the  ring  and 
stand  there,  and  the  boys  run  round  them  singing  the  rhyme 
again.  Then  the  boys  go  inside  and  the  girls  run  round  them 
and  sing  it.  And  then  hands  are  taken  once  more  and  all 
go  round  in  the  original  circle  singing  it  a  fourth  time.  If 
no  boys  are  playing,  the  girls  should  arrange,  before  the  game 
begins,  which  shall  personate  them. 

Robin's  Alive 

A  good  game  for  the  fireside  is  "  Kobin  's  Alive."  There 
are  so  few  children  nowadays  who  have  fireplaces  that  this  can 
be  modified  so  that  it  is  a  good  evening  game  for  any  quiet 
group  of  children.  Some  one  lights  a  piece  of  twisted  paper 


28  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

or  a  stick  of  wood,  twirls  it  rapidly  in  the  air  to  keep  it  burn- 
ing and  says,  as  fast  as  he  can, 

Robin 's  alive,  and  alive  he  shall  be 

If  he  dies  in  my  hand  you  may  back-saddle  me, 

and  at  once  passes  the  paper  on  to  the  next  player  who  in  turn 
recites  the  verse.  The  one  in  whose  hand  it  finally  goes  out 
is  "  back-saddled "  in  this  way.  He  lies  down  on  the  floor 
and  the  others  pile  cushions  and  chairs  and  books  on  him 
while  he  repeats, 

Rocks  and  stones  and  the  old  horse's  bones 
All  this  and  more  you  may  pile  upon  me. 

The  Mulberry  Bush 

The  players  join  hands  and  go  round  and  round  in  a  ring, 
singing  — 

Here  we  go  round  the  mulberry  bush,  the  mulberry  bush,  the  mulberry  bush, 
Here  we  go  round  the  mulberry  bush 
On  a  fine  and  frosty  morning. 

They  then  let  go  hands  and  sing  — 

This  is  the  way  we  wash  our  clothes,  wash  our  clothes,  wash  our  clothes, 
This  is  the  way  we  wash  our  clothes 
On  a  fine  and  frosty  morning, 

and  as  they  sing  they  pretend  to  be  washing.  After  the  verse 
is  done  they  join  hands  again  and  dance  round  to  the  singing 
of  the  mulberry  bush  chorus  again,  and  so  on  after  each  verse. 
The  other  verses  are  — 

(2)  This  is  the  way  we  iron  our  clothes. 

(3)  This  is  the  way  we  wash  our  face. 

(4)  This  is  the  way  we  comb  our  hair. 

(5)  This  is  the  way  we  go  to  school  (very  sadly). 

(6)  This  is  the  way  we  learn  our  book. 

(7)  This  is  the  way  we  sew  our  seams. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  29 

And  lastly  and  very  gaily  — 

(8)    This  is  the  way  we  come  from  school, 

and  then  the  chorus  comes  again,  and  the  game  is  done. 

Looby,  Looby 

This  is  another  of  the  old  country  games  in  which  the 
players  all  have  to  do  the  same  things.  They  first  join  hands 
and  dance  round,  singing  — 

Here  we  dance  Looby,  looby, 

Here  we  dance  Looby  light, 
Here  we  dance  Looby,  looby, 

All  on  a  Saturday  night. 

Then,  letting  go  of  hands  and  standing  still,  they  sing  — * 

Pnt  your  right  hands  in, 

Put  your  right  hands  out, 
Shake  them  and  shake  them  a  little, 

And  turn  yourselves  about, 

and  at  the  same  time  they  do  what  the  song  directs.  Then 
the  dance  and  chorus  again,  and  then  the  next  verse,  and  so 
on.  This  is  the  order  — 

(2)  Put  your  left  hands  in. 

(3)  Put  your  right  feet  in. 

(4)  Put  your  left  feet  in. 

(5)  Put  your  noddles  in. 


And  finally  — 


Put  your  bodies  in, 

Put  your  bodies  out, 
Shake  them  and  shake  them  a  little, 

And  turn  yourselves  about. 


Orchestra 

An  ear-splitting  game  that  is  always  great  fun.  The 
players  stand  in  rows  before  the  leader  or  "  conductor,"  who 
sings  a  verse  from  any  well-known  nonsense  or  other  song. 


3o  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Then  he  says,  pointing  to  one  of  the  players,  "  and  the  first 
violin  played  this  simple  melody,"  whereupon  the  two  sing 
the  verse  over  again,  the  player  imitating  with  his  arms  the 
movements  of  a  violin  player,  and  with  his  voice  the  sound  of 
a  squeaking  fiddle.  Then  the  conductor  says,  pointing  to 
another  player,  "and  the  big  trombone  played  this  simple 
melody."  Then  the  three  sing  together,  the  second  player 
imitating  the  sound  of  a  trombone  and  the  appearance  of  a 
trombone  player.  This  is  continued  until  every  one  is  playing 
on  an  imaginary  instrument,  the  conductor,  of  course,  being 
the  only  one  who  sings  the  words  of  the  song. 

A  Good  Fat  Hen 

A  nonsensical  game,  useful  in  leading  to  forfeits.  The 
company  sit  in  a  row,  and  one  of  the  end  players  begins  by 
saying,  "  A  good  fat  ten."  Each  of  the  others  in  turn  must 
then  say,  "  A  good  fat  hen."  The  first  player  then  says, 
"Two  ducks  and  a  good  fat  hen,"  and  the  words  pass  down 
the  line.  Then  "  Three  squawking  wild  geese,  two  ducks,  and 
a  good  fat  hen."  And  so  on  until  the  end  is  reached,  in  the 
following  order  — 

Fourth  round. —  Prefix  :  Four  plump  partridges. 

Fifth  round.—        "  Five  pouting  pigeons. 

Sixth  round. —  Six  long-legged  cranes. 

Seventh  round. —    "  Seven  green  parrots. 

Eighth  round.—     "  Eight  screeching  owls. 

Ninth  round.—       "  Nine  ugly  turkey-buzzards. 

Tenth  round.—      "  Ten  bald  eagles. 

The  sentence  has  now  reached  a  very  difficult  length  : — "  Ten 
bald  eagles,  nine  ugly  turkey-buzzards,  eight  screeching  owls, 
seven  green  parrots,  six  long-legged  cranes,  five  pouting  pig- 
eons, four  plump  partridges,  three  squawking  wild  geese,  two 
ducks  and  a  good  fat  hen."  Any  one  making  a  mistake  may 
be  made  to  pay  a  forfeit. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  31 

John  Ball 

The  same  game  may  be  played  also  with  "  The  House 
that  Jack  Built,"  and  there  are  other  stories  of  a  similar  kind. 
Among  these  the  most  amusing  for  a  large  party  would  per 
haps  be  the  old  rhyme  of  "  John  Ball." 

First  round. —       John  Ball  shot  them  all. 
Second  round. —  John  Block  made  the  stock, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 
Third  round. —     John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 

John  Block  made  the  stock, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 
Fourth  round. —  John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 

John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 

John  Block  made  the  stock, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

Fifth  round. —     John  Scott  made  the  shot.     .    .     . 
Sixth  round. —     John  Crowder  made  the  powder.     .    .     . 
Seventh  round. —  John  Puzzle  made  the  muzzle.     .    .     . 
Eighth  round. —   John  Farrell  made  the  barrel.     .    .    , 
Ninth  round.—     John  Clint  made  the  flint.     .     .     . 
Tenth  round.—    John  Patch  made  the  match.     .     . 

In  the  tenth  round,  then,  each  player  has  to  say  — 

John  Patch  made  the  match, 
John  Clint  made  the  flint, 
John  Farrell  made  the  barrel, 
John  Puzzle  made  the  muzzle, 
John  Crowder  made  the  powder 
John  Scott  made  the  shot, 
John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
John  Block  made  the  stock, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

Chitterbob 

There  is  also  the  old  rhyme  of  "  Chitterbob,"  but  it  is 
usual  in  repeating  this  to  say  it  all  at  once,  in  one  round,  and 
not  prolong  the  task.  This  is  the  rhyme : — 


32  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

There  was  a  man  and  his  name  was  Cob 
He  had  a  wife  and  her  name  was  Mob, 
He  had  a  dog  and  his  name  was  Bob, 
She  had  a  cat  and  her  name  was  Chitterbob. 

"Bob,"  says  Cob; 

"Chitterbob,"  says  Mob. 
Bob  was  Cob's  dog, 
Mob's  cat  was  Chitterbob, 

Cob,  Mob,  Bob,  and  Chitterbob. 

In  the  old  way  of  playing  "  Chitterbob  "  a  paper  horn  used  to 
be  twisted  into  the  player's  hair  for  each  mistake  made  in  the 
recitation,  and  at  the  end  these  horns  could  be  got  rid  of  only 
by  paying  forfeits. 

The  Muffin  Man 

"  The  Muffin  Man  "  is  another  variety.  The  players  sit 
in  a  circle,  and  the  game  is  begun  by  one  of  them  turning  to 
the  next  and  asking,  either  in  speech  or  in  song  — 

Oh,  do  yon  know  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man  ? 
Oh,  do  you  know  the  muffin  man  who  lives  in  Drury  Lane? 

The  reply  is  — 

Oh,  yes  I  know  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man, 
Oh,  yes  I  know  the  muffin  man  who  lives  in  Drury  Lane. 

Both  players  then  repeat  together  — 

Then  two  of  us  know  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man, 
Then  two  of  us  know  the  muffin  man  who  lives  in  Drury  Lane. 

This  done,  the  second  player  turns  to  the  third  and  the  same 
question  and  answer  are  given  ;  but  when  it  comes  to  the  com- 
ment— 

Then  three  of  us  know  the  muffin  man,     .     .     . 

the  first  player  also  joins  in.  At  the  end  therefore,  if  there  are 
eight  people  playing,  the  whole  company  is  singing  — 

Then  eight  of  us  know  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man,  the  muffin  man, 
Then  eight  of  us  know  the  muffin  man  who  lives  in  Drury  Lane. 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY 


33 


Family  Coach. 

In  "  Family  Coach  "  each  player  takes  the  name  of  a  part  of 
a  coach,  as  the  axle,  the  door,  the  box,  the  reins,  the  whip,  the 
wheels,  the  horn ;  or  of  some  one  connected  with  it,  as  the 
driver,  the  guard,  the  ostlers,  the  landlord,  the  bad-tempered 
passenger,  the  cheerful  passenger,  the  passenger  who  made 
puns,  the  old  lady  with  the  bundle,  and  the  horses  —  wheelers 
and  leaders.  One  player  then  tells  a  story  about  the  coach, 
bringing  in  as  many  of  these  people  and  things  as  he  can,  and 
as  often.  Whenever  a  person  or  thing  represented  by  a 
player  is  mentioned,  that  player  must  stand  up  and  turn 
round.  But  whenever  the  coach  is  mentioned  the  whole 
company  must  stand  up  and  turn  round.  Otherwise,  forfeits. 
A  specimen  story  is  here  given  as  a  hint  as  to  the  kind  of 
thing  needed  :  — 

"  There  's  the  railway,  of  course,"  said  Mr.  Burly,  "and  there's  the  motor 
wagonette,  and  you've  all  got  bicycles;  but  let's  go  to  London  in  the  old- 
fashioned  way  for  once ;  let 's  go  in  the  Family  Coach."  These  words  delighted 
everybody.  "  Oh,  yes,"  they  all  cried,  "  let 's  go  in  the  Family  Coach."  It  was 
therefore  arranged,  and  John  the  Coachman  had  orders  to  get  everything  ready. 
This  was  no  light  matter,  for  the  Family  Coach  had  not  been  used  for  many  years, 
and  it  would  need  to  be  taken  to  the  coachbuilder's  at  once  and  be  overhauled. 
So  the  next  morning  it  lumbered  off,  and  it  did  not  come  back  for  a  week  ;  but 
when  it  did  there  was  a  change  indeed.  The  wheels  had  been  painted  red,  the 
axles  had  been  tested,  the  springs  renewed,  the  inside  re-lined,  the  roof  freshly 
upholstered,  and  the  whole  made  bright  and  gay.  At  last  the  morning  came,  a 
clear,  sunny  day,  and  punctually  at  nine  John  rattled  up  to  the  door.  The  horses 
stood  there  pawing  the  ground,  as  if  ready  to  gallop  all  the  way.  John  had  a 
new  coat  and  hat,  and  Tim  and  Peter,  the  grooms,  were  also  in  new  livery. 
Every  one  was  ready.  First  came  Mr.  Burly  in  a  wonderful  great  overcoat,  and 
then  Mrs.  Burly  in  furs.  Then  Uncle  Joshua,  then  Aunt  Penelope,  and  then  the 
three  girls  and  two  boys.  How  they  all  found  room  I  don't  know,  but  they  did. 
"Are  we  all  ready?"  said  Mr.  Burly.  "All  ready,"  said  Uncle  Joshua.  So 
Tim  and  Peter  sprang  away  from  the  horses'  heads,  crack  went  the  whip,  round 
went  the  wheels,  Uncle  Joshua  blew  the  horn,  and  the  old  Family  Coach  was  fairly 
on  its  journey. 

It  was  a  splendid  ride.     John  kept  his  horses  going  at  a  grand  pace  and 


34  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

hardly  used  the  whip  at  all,  the  wheels  ran  smoothly  over  the  road,  and  whenever 
we  passed  through  a  village  Uncle  Joshua  blew  the  horn.  We  stopped  at  Thorn- 
minster  for  lunch.  John  brought  us  up  to  the  inu  door  in  style,  and  the  land- 
lord came  out  rubbing  his  hands  and  helped  Mrs.  Burly  and  Aunt  Penelope  down 
with  a  flourish.  "  Proud  to  see  you,  sir,"  he  said  to  Mr.  Burly.  "  It  is  seldom 
enough  that  folks  travel  nowadays  in  an  old  Family  Coach.  I  wish  there  were 
more  of  them." 

After  lunch  we  went  along  in  the  same  splendid  way  until  suddenly  round 
a  corner  came  a  donkey-cart  with  the  donkey  braying  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 
John  pulled  the  horses  well  over  to  the  side,  but  the  braying  was  too  much  for 
them,  and  they  rolled  into  the  ditch.  In  a  moment  the  old  Family  Coach  was 
overturned.  Mr.  Burly  was  shot  into  the  field  across  the  hedge,  Uncle 
Joshua,  grasping  the  horn,  landed  in  a  pond,  John  and  Aunt  Penelope,  Mrs. 
Burly  and  the  grooms  all  stuck  in  the  hedge.  No  one  was  hurt,  but  two  of  the 
wheels  were  broken  to  pieces  and  one  axle  was  bent,  and  that  was  therefore 
the  last  of  the  old  Family  Coach.  So  we  never  got  to  London  in  the  old  way 
after  all. 

If  this  story  is  not  long  enough,  it  can  be  lengthened.  The 
words  in  italics  are  those  to  be  distributed  among  the  com- 
pany, each  player  taking  more  than  one  if  necessary.  When 
the  accident  comes  they  might  all  fall  down  as  they  are 
mentioned.  In  the  case  of  the  wheels  and  the  horses,  these 
may  either  be  taken  all  four  by  one  player,  or  eight  players 
may  share  them.  Thus,  when  the  wheels  are  mentioned,  all 
four  players  who  have  taken  the  wheels  would  stand  up  and 
turn  round,  and  four  others  when  the  horses  were  alluded  to. 

The  Traveler,  and  the  Bicyclist 

"  The  Traveler "  is  a  favorite  variety  of  the  "  Family 
Coach."  In  this  game  a  player  with  a  ready  tongue  is  chosen 
as  traveler,  and  the  others  are  given  such  names  as  landlord, 
bell-boy,  clerk,  waiter,  chambermaid,  electric  light,  elevator^ 
bed,  supper,  paper,  sitting-room,  bedroom,  steam-radiator, 
slippers,  and  so  on.  The  traveler  is  then  supposed  to  arrive 
and  give  his  orders.  "  Can  I  have  a  room  to-night  ?  Good. 
And  how  soon  will  supper  be  ready  ?  Ask  the  bell-boy  to  take 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  35 

my  satchels  up  to  my  room.  Show  me  to  my  room  and  send  up 
the  papers"  And  so  on,  each  person  named  having  to  stand 
up  or  be  booked  for  a  forfeit. 

This  game  lends  itself  to  various  new  forms.  One  might  be 
called  "  The  Bicyclist "  and  run  thus  :  —  A  player  having  been 
chosen  as  the  bicyclist,  the  others  take  as  many  bicycling 
names  (or  two  names  each  might  add  to  the  fun)  as  there  are 
players.  Thus  —  lamp,  wick,  oil,  handle-bars,  spokes,  tires, 
chain,  pump,  nuts,  bell,  hedges,  fields,  sheep,  roads,  hill,  dog. 
This  settled,  the  bicyclist  will  begin  his  story,  something  in 
this  style :  — 

It  looked  so  fine  this  morning  that  I  determined  to  go  for  a  long  ride.  So 
I  got  out  the  pump  and  blew  up  the  tires,  put  the  monkey-wrench  to  a  few  nuts, 
filled  the  lamp,  trimmed  the  wick,  polished  up  the  bell  and  the  handle-bars,  and 
started  off.  The  roads  were  perfect.  The  fields  were  shining  with  dew,  the 
hedges  were  sweet  with  honey-suckle,  and  I  skimmed  along  like  the  wind 
until  suddenly,  at  the  turn  at  the  foot  of  Claymore  Hill,  I  rode  bang  into  a  flock 
of  sheep  and  came  down  with  a  smash.  You  never  saw  such  a  ruin.  The  lamp 
and  bell  were  lost  completely,  the  handle-bars  were  twisted  into  corkscrews,  the 
tires  were  cut  to  ribbons,  the  spokes  looked  like  part  of  a  spider's  web,  my  hands 
and  my  knees  were  cut,  and  the  worst  of  it  was  that  the  shepherd's  dog  mistook 
me  for  an  enemy  and  I  had  to  beat  him  off  with  the  monkey-wrench,  until  the 
farmer  heard  the  noise  and  came  to  the  rescue. 

During  this  story  all  the  players  named  would,  in  the  or- 
dinary way,  stand  up  for  a  moment  when  their  adopted 
names  were  mentioned,  except  at  the  point  when  the  accident 
occurs,  and  then  every  player  bearing  the  name  of  a  part  of 
the  bicycle  —  the  handle-bars,  spokes,  tires,  chain,  air-pump, 
lamp,  wick,  bell,  monkey-wrench,  pump,  nuts  —  should  fall  to 
the  ground. 

Drawing-Room  Acrobatics 

There  are  various  feats  which  can  be  performed  in  a  small 
room  without  injury  to  furniture.  To  lie  flat  on  the  floor  on 
one's  back  and  be  lifted  into  an  upright  position  by  a  pair  of 


36  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

hands  under  the  back  of  the  head,  keeping  stiff  all  the  time,  is 
a  favorite  accomplishment.  Another  is  to  bend  over  and 
touch  the  floor  with  the  tips  of  the  fingers  without  bending 
the  knees.  Another  is,  keeping  your  feet  behind  a  line,  to  see 
who,  by  stretching  along  the  ground  supported  on  the  left 
hand  only,  can  place  a  penny  with  the  right  hand  the  farthest 
distance  and  get  back  again  to  an  upright  position  behind  the 
line  without  moving  the  feet  or  using  the  right  hand  for  a 
support.  This  done,  the  penny  must  be  recovered  in  the  same 
way. 

Another  feat  is,  keeping  your  feet  together  and  one  arm 
behind  you,  to  see  how  far  back  from  the  wall  it  is  possible  to 
place  your  feet  (remembering  that  you  have  to  get  into  an  up- 
right position  again)  while  you  lean  forward  supported  by  the 
other  hand  laid  flat  against  the  wall. 

Another  is  to  keep  the  toes  to  a  line,  and  kneel  down  and 
get  up  again  without  using  the  hands. 

Another  is  to  make  a  bridge  of  your  body  from  chair  to 
chair,  resting  the  back  of  your  neck  on  one  and  your  heels  on 
the  other.  This  is  done  by  beginning  with  three  chairs,  one 
under  the  back,  and  then  when  you  are  rigid  enough  having 
the  third  one  removed. 

Acrobatic  Impossibilities 

If  you  hold  your  hands  across  your  chest  in  a  straight 
line  with  the  tips  of  the  forefingers  pressed  together,  it  will  be 
impossible  for  any  one  else,  however  strong,  to  hold  by  your 
arms  and  pull  those  finger-tips  apart. 

It  is  quite  safe  to  stand  a  person  against  the  wall  with 
his  heels  touching  it,  and,  laying  a  shilling  on  the  floor  a  foot 
or  so  in  front  of  him,  to  say  it  will  be  his  if  he  can  pick  it  up 
without  moving  his  heels  from  the  wall. 

Another  impossible  thing  is  to  stand  sideways  against  the 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY 


37 


wall  with  your  left  cheek,  left  heel,  and  left  leg  touching  it, 
and  then  raise  the  right  leg. 


The  Trussed  Fowls 

In  this  contest  two  boys  are  first  trussed.  Trussing  con- 
sists of  firmly  tying  wrists  and  ankles,  bringing  the  elbows 
down  below  the  knees  and  slipping  a  stick  along  over  one  el- 


A  TRUSSED  FOWL 


bow,  under  both  knees  and  over  the  other  elbow,  as  in  the 
picture.  The  game  is,  for  the  two  fowls  to  be  placed  opposite 
each  other  with  their  feet  just  touching,  and  for  each  then  to 
strive  to  roll  the  other  over  with  his  toes. 


38  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  *? 

The  Candle-Lighters 

Another  balancing  game.  Two  boys  face  each  other, 
each  with  a  candle,  one  of  which  is  lighted  and  the  other  not 
Kneeling  on  the  right  knee  only  and  keeping  the  left  leg  en- 
tirely off  the  ground,  they  have  to  make  one  candle  light  the 
other. 

Hat  and  Cards 

A  tali  nat  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  room  and  a  pack 
of  cards  is  dealt  out  to  the  players  seated  round  it.  The 
game  is  to  throw  the  cards  one  by  one  into  the  hat. 

Tug  of  War 

This  is  properly  an  outdoor  game,  but  in  a  big  room  in- 
doors it  is  all  right.  The  two  sides  should  be  even  in  num- 
bers, at  any  rate  in  the  first  pull.  In  the  middle  of  the  rope 
a  handkerchief  is  tied,  and  three  chalk  lines  a  yard  apart  are 
made  on  the  floor.  The  sides  then  grasp  the  rope,  the  cap- 
tain of  each  side,  whose  duty  it  is  to  encourage  his  men  by 
cheering  cries,  having  his  hands  about  a  yard  and  a  half  from 
the  handkerchief.  The  rope  is  then  trimmed  by  the  umpire 
until  the  handkerchief  comes  exactly  over  the  middle  one  of 
the  three  lines.  On  the  word  being  given,  each  side  has  to 
try  and  pull  the  rope  so  that  the  handkerchief  passes  over  the 
chalk  line  nearest  it.  The  best  of  three  decides  the  victory. 
For  the  sake  of  sport  it  is  better,  if  one  side  is  much  weaker 
than  the  other,  to  add  to  it  until  the  balance  of  strength  is 
pretty  even. 

High  Skip 

The  players  stand  in  as  wide  a  circle  as  the  size  of  the 
room  allows,  with  one  player  in  the  middle.  He  has  a  rope 
or  heavy  cord  in  his  hand  with  some  object,  rather  heavy  but 
not  hard,  tied  to  it,  such  as  a  small  cushion  or  a  large  bunch 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  39 

of  rags.  Stooping  down,  he  begins  swinging  this  around  the 
circle.  As  it  comes  to  them  the  players  must  jump  over  the 
cord.  As  the  cushion  is  swung  faster  and  faster  it  goes 
higher  and  is  more  difficult  to  jump  over.  The  first  one  to 
miss  takes  the  place  of  the  person  swinging  the  rope,  who  is 
not  allowed  to  raise  his  hand  higher  than  his  knee. 

Parlor  Football 

In  this  game  goals  are  set  up  at  each  end  of  the  room,  the 
players  are  provided  with  fans,  and  the  football  is  a  blown  hen's 
egg,  which  is  wafted  backward  and  forward  along  the  floor. 

Balloon 

A  string  is  stretched  across  the  room  at  a  height  of  about 
three  or  four  feet.  The  players  divide  into  sides  and  line  up 
on  each  side  of  the  string.  The  balloon  is  then  thrown  up, 
the  game  being  to  keep  it  in  the  air  backward  and  forward 
over  the  string,  so  that  if  it  falls  it  will  fall  in  the  other  side's 
camp.  It  ought  to  be  tapped  with  the  back  of  the  fingers 
and  not  hit  hard. 

Tissue-Paper  Race 

In  this  game  tissue-paper  is  cut  into  pieces  three  or  four 
inches  square.  As  many  squares  as  there  are  players  are 
placed  in  a  line  at  one  end  of  the  room,  and  at  the  other  are 
placed  two  books,  or  other  objects,  a  foot  or  so  apart  At  the 
word  of  command  each  competitor,  who  is  armed  with  a  Jap- 
anese fire-screen  or  fan,  starts  to  fan  his  square  through  the 
goal-posts.  For  the  sake  of  distinguishing  them  it  is  better  to 
mark  the  papers  or  have  them  of  different  colors.  A  com- 
petitor may  not  fan  any  other  square  except  by  accident. 

Walking  Spanish 

This  game  should  not  be  played  unless  there  are  some  older, 
stronger  players  to  prevent  possible  accidents,  but  it  is  very 


4o  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

amusing.  Each  player  in  turn  goes  to  the  end  of  the  room, 
takes  a  cane  or  umbrella,  puts  his  head  down  on  the  handle, 
closes  his  eyes  and,  stooping  over  thus,  whirls  rapidly  about 
six  times,  not  moving  the  point  of  the  cane  from  its  original 
position.  Then  instantly  he  straightens  up  and  tries  to  walk 
steadily  the  length  of  the  room  along  a  string  laid  down  or 
line  marked.  The  one  who  steps  nearest  to  the  line  all  the 
time  is  the  winner. 

Potato  Race 

This  is  a  good  game  for  a  hall  or  landing.  Two  baskets 
are  needed,  which  are  placed  at  one  end  of  the  hall  about  two 
yards  apart,  and  then  in  a  line  from  each  basket  are  placed 
potatoes,  at  intervals  of  a  yard  or  so  all  down  the  floor,  an 
equal  number  to  each  line.  Any  even  number  of  competitors 
can  play,  the  race  being  run  in  heats.  Each  competitor  is 
armed  with  a  long  spoon,  and  his  task  is  to  pick  up  all  the  po- 
tatoes on  his  line  and  return  them  to  the  basket  before  Lis  op- 
ponent can.  Each  potato  must  be  carried  to  the  basket  in 
turn,  and  if  dropped  on  the  way  must  be  picked  up  again 
before  another  can  be  touched,  and  the  spoon  only  must  be 
used.  Any  help  from  the  other  hand  or  from  th  •,  foot  dis- 
qualifies. 

Fire-Buckets 

At  a  fire  in  the  country,  where  there  is  no  hos-»,  a  line  of 
men  extends  from  the  burning  house  to  the  nearest  por,d,  and 
buckets  are  continually  being  passed  along  this  li&8.  Hence 
the  name  by  which  this  excellent  game  is  called  here.  It  is 
played  thus.  A  large  number  of  miscellaneous  and  unbreaka- 
ble articles  —  balls,  boots,  potatoes,  books,  and  so  on  —  are 
divided  into  two  exactly  equal  groups,  and  each  group  is 
placed  in  a  clothes  basket.  The  company  then  forms  into  two 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  41 

equal  lines,  and  each  chooses  a  captain.  Each  captain  stands 
by  the  basket  at  one  end  of  his  line,  at  the  other  end  being  a 
chair  and  another  player  standing  by  that.  At  the  word 
"  Start,"  the  articles  are  handed  one  by  one  by  the  captain  to 
the  first  player  in  the  line,  and  passed  as  quickly  as  possible 
without  dropping  to  the  player  by  the  chair.  As  they  come 
to  him  he  piles  them  on  the  chair  (without  dropping  any)  until 
all  are  there,  and  then  returns  them  with  equal  speed  until  the 
basket  is  filled  again.  The  side  which  finishes  first  is  the 
winner.  If  an  article  is  dropped  it  must  be  picked  up  before 
any  other  of  the  articles  can  pass  the  player  who  dropped  it. 

Forfeits 

In  many  of  the  games  already  described  mention  has  been 
made  of  "  Forfeits."  They  do  not  now  play  quite  so  important 
a  part  in  an  evening's  entertainment  as  once  they  did,  but  they 
can  still  add  to  the  interest  of  games.  "  Paying  a  forfeit " 
means  giving  up  to  the  player  who  is  collecting  forfeits  some 
personal  article  or  other  —  a  knife,  a  pencil,  a  handkerchief  — 
which,  at  the  end  of  the  game,  or  later  in  the  evening,  has  to 
be  recovered  by  performing  whatever  penance  is  ordered. 
When  the  time  comes  for  "  crying  the  forfeits,"  as  it  is  called, 
the  player  who  has  them  sits  in  a  chair,  while  another  player, 
either  blindfolded  or  hiding  her  eyes,  kneels  before  her,  the 
remaining  players  standing  all  around.  The  first  player  then 
holds  up  a  forfeit,  remarking,  "  I  have  a  thing,  and  a  very 
pretty  thing.  Pray  what  shall  be  done  to  the  owner  of  this 
pretty  thing  ?  "  To  which  the  blindfolded  one  replies  by  ask- 
ing, "  Is  it  fine  or  superfine  ? "  meaning,  Does  it  belong  to  a 
boy  (fine)  or  a  girl  (superfine)  ?  The  answer  is  either  "  It  is 
fine,"  or  "  It  is  superfine,"  and  the  blindfolded  one  then  an- 
nounces what  its  owner  must  do  to  get  possession  of  it  again. 
Of  stock  penances  there  are  a  great  number,  most  of  which 


42  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

are  tricks  which,  once  known,  are  necessarily  very  tame  after- 
ward. In  the  case  of  those  that  follow,  therefore,  something 
definite  and  practical  is  required. 

Frown  for  a  minute. 

Dance  for  a  minute. 

See  how  many  you  can  count  in  a  minute. 

Say  the  alphabet  backward. 

Do  the  exact  opposite  of  three  things  ordered  by  the  company. 

Crow  like  a  cock.    • 

Say  "  Gig  whip  "  ten  times  very  rapidly. 

Say  "  Mixed  biscuits  "  ten  times  very  rapidly. 

Say  rapidly  :  "  She  stood  on  the  steps  of  Burgess's  Fish  Sauce  Shop  selling 
shellfish." 

Say  rapidly:  "Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck  of  pickled  pepper.  A  peck  of 
pickled  pepper  Peter  Piper  picked.  If  Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck  of  pickled 
pepper,  where  is  the  peck  of  pickled  pepper  Peter  Piper  picked?  " 

Count  fifty  backward. 

Repeat  a  nursery  rhyme. 

Hold  your  hands  behind  you,  and,  keeping  them  there,  lie  down  and  get 
up  again. 

Hold  your  hands  together  and  put  them  under  your  feet  and  over  your 
head. 

Walk  round  the  room  balancing  three  books  on  your  head  without  using 
your  hands. 

Smile  to  the  prettiest, 
Bow  to  the  wittiest, 
And  kiss  the  one  you  love  the  best. 

Yawn  until  you  make  some  one  else  yawn. 

Push  your  friend's  head  through  a  ring.  (Put  your  finger  through  a  ring 
and  push  your  friend's  head  with  the  tip.) 

Place  a  straw  on  the  floor  so  that  you  can't  jump  over  it.  (Very  close  to 
the  wall.) 

Put  a  chair  on  a  table,  take  off  your  shoes  and  jump  over  them.  (Over 
your  shoes. ) 

Leave  the  room  with  two  legs  and  come  in  with  six.     (Bring  in  a  chair.) 

Repeat  five  times  without  mistake,  "  A  rat  ran  over  the  roof  of  the  house 
with  a  lump  of  raw  liver  in  his  mouth." 

Repeat  ten  times  rapidly,  "Troy  boat." 

Ask  a  question  to  which  "no"  cannot  be  answered.  (What  does  y-e-a 
spell?) 


GAMES  FOR  A  PARTY  43 

Shake  a  dime  off  your  forehead.  (The  coin  is  wet  and  some  one  presses  it 
firmly  to  the  forehead  of  the  one  to  pay  the  forfeit,  who  must  keep  his  eyes 
closed.  The  dime  is  taken  away,  but  the  forfeit  player  still  feels  it  there  and 
tries  to  shake  it  off.) 

Repeat  a  verse  of  poetry,  counting  the  words  aloud.  Mary  (one)  had  (two) 
a  (three)  little  (four)  lamb  (five). 

Dance  in  one  corner,  cry  in  another,  sing  in  another,  and  fall  dead  in  the 
fourth. 

Two  forfeits  may  be  redeemed  at  once  by  blindfolding 
two  players,  handing  them  each  a  glass  of  water,  and  bidding 
them  give  the  other  a  drink.  This,  however,  can  be  a  very 
damp  business. 

The  old  way  of  getting  rid  of  a  large  number  of  forfeits 
was  to  tell  their  owners  to  hold  a  cats'  concert,  in  which  each 
sings  a  different  song  at  the  same  time.  Perhaps  it  would  be 
less  noisy  and  more  interesting  if  they  were  told  to  personate 
a  farm-yard. 

Auctioning  Prizes 

A  novel  way  of  awarding  prizes  is  to  auction  them.  Each 
guest  on  arrival  is  given  a  small  bag  instead  of  a  tally  card. 
These  bags  are  used  to  hold  beans,  five  of  which  are  given  to 
all  the  players  that  progress  at  the  end  of  each  game.  After 
the  playing  stops  the  prizes  are  auctioned.  Of  course  the  per- 
son who  has  the  greatest  number  of  beans  can  buy  the  best 
prizes ;  so  that  besides  making  a  great  deal  of  fun,  the  distri- 
bution is  entirely  fair. 


DRAWING  GAMES 


DRAWING  GAMES 

MANY  persons,  when  a  drawing  game  is  suggested, 
ask  to  be  excused  on  the  ground  of  an  inability  to 
draw.     But  in  none  of  the  games  that  are  described 
in  this  chapter  is  any  real  drawing  power  necessary.     The  ob- 
ject of  each  game  being  not  to  produce  good  drawings  but  to 
produce  good  fun,  a  bad  drawing  is  much  more  likely  to  lead 
to  laughter  than  a  good  one. 

Five  Dots 

All  children  who  like  drawing  like  this  game ;  but  it  is 
particularly  good  to  play  with  a  real  artist,  if  you  have  one 
among  your  friends.  You  take  a  piece  of  paper  and  make 
five  dots  on  it,  wherever  you  like  —  scattered  about  far  apart, 
close  together  (but  not  too  close),  or  even  in  a  straight  line. 
The  other  player's  task  is  to  fit  in  a  drawing  of  a  person  with 
one  of  these  dots  at  his  head,  two  at  his  hands,  and  two  at  his 
feet,  as  in  the  examples  on  page  48. 

Outlines  or  Wiggles 

Another  form  of  "  Five  Dots  "  is  "  Outlines."  Instead  of 
dots  a  line,  straight,  zigzag,  or  curved,  is  made  at  random  on 
the  paper.  Papers  are  then  exchanged  and  this  line  must  be 
fitted  naturally  into  a  picture,  as  in  the  examples  on  page  49. 

A  good  way  to  play  Wiggles  when  there  are  a  number  of 
people  to  play,  is  to  mark  the  same  line  for  all  the  players, 
either  by  pressing  down  very  hard  with  a  hard  pencil  so  that 
the  line  can  be  traced  from  one  piece  of  paper  to  another,  or 
with  carbon  copy  paper  between  the  sheets.  Thus  each  per- 
son has  the  same  line,  and  the  one  who  uses  his  in  the  most 

47 


48 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


FIVE  Dora 


DRAWING  GAMES 


49 


OUTLINES 


50  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

fantastic  and  unexpected  way  is  the  winner.  The  only  rule 
about  making  the  line  is  that  a  circle  shall  not  be  made.  The 
two  ends  must  be  left  ready  to  add  the  rest  of  the  design.  It 
is  well  sometimes  to  limit  the  pictures  to  human  faces,  as  this 
makes  the  grotesque  unlikeness  of  the  drawings  all  the  more 
absurd. 

Eyes-Shut  Drawings 

The  usual  thing  to  draw  with  shut  eyes  is  a  pig,  but  any 
animal  will  do  as  well  (or  almost  as  well,  for  perhaps  the  pig's 
curly  tail  just  puts  him  in  the  first  place).  Why  it  should  be 
so  funny  a  game  it  is  difficult  quite  to  explain,  but  people 
laugh  more  loudly  over  it  than  over  anything  else.  There  is 
one  lady  at  least  who  keeps  a  visitor's  book  in  which  every 
one  that  stays  at  her  house  has  to  draw  an  eyes-shut  pig. 
The  drawings  are  signed,  and  the  date  is  added.  Such  a  guest 
book  is  now  manufactured,  bound  in  pig  skin,  or  in  cloth. 

"  Ghosts  of  My  Friends  " 

While  on  the  subject  of  novel  albums  the  "  Ghost  of  My 
Friends"  might  be  mentioned.  The  "ghost"  is  the  effect 
produced  by  writing  one's  signature  with  plenty  of  ink,  and 
while  the  ink  is  still  very  wet,  folding  the  paper  down  the 
middle  of  the  name,  lengthwise,  and  pressing  the  two  sides 
firmly  together.  The  result  is  a  curious  symmetrically-shaped 
figure.  Some  people  prefer  "  ghosts  "  to  ordinary  signatures 
in  a  visitors'  book. 

The  "  Book  of  Butterflies  "  is  on  the  same  order.  With 
the  book  come  four  tubes  of  paint.  The  paint  is  squeezed  on 
the  page,  which  is  doubled  and  flattened.  The  effects  are  very 
beautiful,  and  surprisingly  lifelike. 

Another  guest  book  is  the  "  Hand-o-graph,"  in  which  the 
outline  of  the  hand  of  each  guest  is  kept.  The  "  Thumb-o- 
graph  -'  is  on  the  same  principle,  except  that  in  this  case  the 


DRAWING  GAMES 


imprint  of  the  guest's  thumb  is  preserved,  made  from  an  ink 
pad  supplied  with  the  book. 

A  remarkable  collection  can  be  made  of  ink-blot  pictures. 
A  drop  of  ink,  either  round  as  it  naturally  falls,  or  slightly 
lengthened  with  a  pen,  is  dropped  on  paper  which  is  then 
folded  smartly  together  and  rubbed  flat.  The  most  surprising 
designs  are  the  result,  some  of  which,  aided  a  little  by  the 
pen,  look  like  landscapes,  figures  and  complicated  geometric 
designs. 

Drawing  Tricks 

Six  drawing  tricks  are  illustrated  on  this  page.  One  (1) 
is  the  picture  of  a  soldier  and  a  dog  leaving  a  room,  drawn 


*. 

DBA  WING  TRICKS 

with  three  strokes  of  the  pencil.  Another  (3)  is  a  sailor,  drawn 
with  two  squares,  two  circles,  and  two  triangles.  Another 
(5),  Henry  VIII,  drawn  with  a  square  and  nine  straight  lines. 
Another  (6),  invented  for  this  book,  an  Esquimaux  waiting  to 
harpoon  a  seal,  drawn  with  eleven  circles  and  a  straight  line. 
The  remaining  figures  are  a  cheerful  pig  and  a  despondent  pig 
(4),  and  a  cat  (2),  drawn  with  the  utmost  possible  simplicity. 

Composite  Animals 

In  this  game  the  first  player  writes  the  name  of  an  animal 
at  the  top  of  the  paper  and  folds  it  over.  The  next  writes  an- 
other, and  so  on  until  you  have  four,  or  even  five.  You  then 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


The  ©  and  the  pussy-Skweat 


-reen 


They  UK 
Wrapped  up  in.  a 

The  V^k  looked  up 
II  a  small 


of 


^  f'Yl  ^^^^^^^ 

O  lovely  lltf'-y  O  yf-y  my  love 


w-«*  a  beau* 

\J*Z 


UR 


DRAWING  GAMES 


53 


or  a 


They  C-yf-ed  away  / 

wKere  the  S 


9iongwehave 

P»    © 

-ned 


ilK  a       at  tKe  end  of  fits 


Kts 


WtlK  aQat  tfie  end  of  (\is> 


54  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

unfold  the  papers  and  draw  animals  containing  some  feature 
of  each  of  those  named. 

Invented  Animals 

A  variation  of  this  game  is  for  the  players  to  draw  and 
describe  a  new  creature.  On  one  occasion  when  this  game  was 
played  every  one  went  for  names  to  the  commoner  advertise- 
ments. The  best  animal  produced  was  the  Hairy  Coco,  the 
description  of  which  stated,  among  other  things,  that  it  was 
fourteen  feet  long  and  had  fourteen  long  feet. 

A  good  guessing  contest  is  to  supply  every  person  with  a 
slip  of  paper  on  which  is  written  the  name  of  an  animal.  He 
draws  a  picture  of  it  and  these  pictures  are  all  exhibited  signed 
with  the  artist's  name.  The  person  who  guesses  correctly  the 
subjects  of  the  greatest  number  of  them  wins. 

Heads,  Bodies,  and  Tails 

For  this  game  sheets  of  paper  are  handed  round  and  each 
player  draws  at  the  top  of  his  sheet  a  head.  It  does  not  mat- 
ter in  the  least  whether  it  is  a  human  being's  or  a  fish's  head, 
a  quadruped's,  a  bird's,  or  an  insect's.  The  paper  is  then 
turned  down,  two  little  marks  are  made  to  show  where  the 
neck  and  body  should  join,  and  the  paper  is  passed  on  for  the 
body  to  be  supplied.  Here  again  it  does  not  matter  what 
kind  of  body  is  chosen.  The  paper  is  then  folded  again, 
marks  are  made  to  show  where  the  legs  (or  tail)  ought  to  be- 
gin, and  the  paper  is  passed  on  again.  After  the  legs  are 
drawn  the  picture  is  finished. 

Pictures  to  Order 

Each  player  sits,  pencil  in  hand,  before  a  blank  sheet  of 
paper,  his  object  being  to  make  a  picture  containing  things 
chosen  by  the  company  in  turn.  The  first  player  then  names 
the  thing  that  he  wants  in  the  picture.  Perhaps  it  is  a  tree. 


DRAWING  GAMES  55 

He  therefore  says,  "  Draw  a  tree,"  when  all  the  players,  him- 
self included,  draw  a  tree.  Perhaps  the  next  says,  "  Draw 
a  boy  climbing  the  tree  "  ;  the  next,  "  Draw  a  balloon  caught 
in  the  top  branches  "  ;  the  next,  "  Draw  two  little  girls  look- 
ing up  at  the  balloon  " ;  and  so  on,  until  the  picture  is  full 
enough.  The  chief  interest  of  this  game  resides  in  the  diffi- 
culty of  finding  a  place  for  everything  that  has  to  be  put 
in  the  picture.  A  comparison  of  the  drawings  afterward  is 
usually  amusing. 

Hieroglyphics,  or  Picture- Writing 

As  a  change  from  ordinary  letter- writing,  "  Hieroglypu- 
ics "  are  amusing  and  interesting  to  make.  The  best  ex- 
planation is  an  example,  such  as  is  given  on  pages  52  and  53, 
the  subject  being  two  verses  from  a  favorite  nursery  song. 

Pictures  and  Titles 

Each  player  draws  on  the  upper  half  of  the  paper  an 
historical  scene,  whether  from  history  proper  or  from  family 
history,  and  appends  the  title,  writing  it  along  the  bottom  of 
the  paper  and  folding  it  over.  The  drawings  are  then  passed 
on  and  each  player  writes  above  the  artist's  fold  (or  on  another 
sheet  of  paper)  what  he  thinks  they  are  meant  to  represent, 
and  folds  the  paper  over  what  he  has  written.  In  the  accom- 
panying example  the  title  at  the  bottom  of  the  paper  is  what 
the  draughtsman  himself  wrote;  the  others  are  the  other 
players'  guesses. 


56  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


Various  Descriptions  by  the  Players 


The  Abbot  of  Christchnrch,  near  Bournemouth,  surveys  the  scaffolding  of  the 
abbey. 

The  end  of  the  Paris  Exhibition. 

An  old  man  coming  back  to  the  home  of  his  childhood,  looks  across  the  river, 
where  a  duck  is  swimming,  to  the  dilapidated  cathedral  and  town  which  repre- 
sent the  stately  piles  he  remembered. 

The  building  of  the  Ark. 

The  Artist's  Description 

The  Last  Man  surveying  the  ruins  of  the  Crystal  Palace. 


WRITING  GAMES 


WRITING  GAMES 

MANY  of  the  games  under  this  heading  look  harder 
than  they  really  are.     But  the  mere  suggestion  of  a 
writing  game  is  often  enough  to  frighten  away 
timid  players  who  mistrust  their  powers  of  composition  —  al- 
though the  result  can  be  as  funny  when  these  powers  are  small 
as  when  they  are  considerable.     The  race  is  not  always  to  the 
swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong. 

Simple  Acrostics 

There  are  "  Simple  Acrostics  "  and  "  Double  Acrostics." 
The  simple  ones  are  very  simple.  When  the  players  are  all 
ready  a  word  is  chosen  by  one  of  them,  either  from  thought 
or  by  looking  at  a  book  and  taking  the  first  promising  one  that 
occurs.  Perhaps  it  is  "  govern."  Each  player  then  puts  the 
letters  forming  "  govern  "  in  a  line  down  the  paper,  and  the 
object  of  the  game  is  to  find,  in  a  given  time,  words  beginning 
with  each  of  those  letters.  Thus,  at  the  end  of  time,  one 
player  might  have  — 

G  ravy 
O  range 
V  iolet 
E  sther 
Robin 
N  umbskull 

The  players  then  describe  their  words  in  turn,  one  letter  going 
the  round  before  the  next  is  reached,  and  from  these  descrip- 
tions the  words  have  to  be  guessed,  either  by  any  player  who 
likes  or  by  the  players  in  turn.  The  player  whose  paper  we 

have  quoted   might  describe   his  words  like  this :     G 

59 


60  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

"  Something  that  makes  hot  beef  nice  "  ;  O "  A  fruit  "  ; 

Y "A  flower";  E "A  girl's  name";  K "A 

bird  " ;  and  N "  A  name  for  a  silly  person."    If  any  one 

else  has  the  same  word  neither  of  you  can  score  it,  and  it  is 
therefore  important  to  seek  for  the  most  unlikely  words. 

Another  way  of  playing  "  Simple  Acrostics  "  is  to  insist 
on  each  word  being  the  same  length.  Thus  "  govern  "  might 
be  filled  in  by  one  player  thus :  — 

G  rave 
O  ddly 
V  erse 
E  arth 
R  ebel 
N  inth 

Double  Acrostics 

In  "  Double  Acrostics  "  the  game  is  played  in  precisely 
the  same  way,  except  that  the  letters  of  the  word,  after  hav- 
ing been  arranged  in  a  line  down  the  paper,  are  then  arranged 
again  in  a  line  up  the  paper,  so  that  the  first  letter  is  op. 
posite  the  last,  and  the  last  opposite  the  first.  Thus :  — 

G  N 

O  R 

V  E 

E  V 

R  O 

N  G 

The  players  have  then  to  fill  in  words  beginning  and  ending 
with  the  letters  as  thus  arranged.  One  paper  might  come  out 
thus : — 

G  rai  N 
O  rde  R 
V  eraatil  E 
E  .  .  .  V 
R  apall  O 
N  othin  Q 


WRITING  GAMES  61 

This  word  is  rather  a  hard  one  on  account  of  the  E  and  V. 
As  a  rule,  words  of  only  three  letters  are  not  allowed  in 
"  Acrostics,"  nor  are  plurals.  That  is  to  say,  if  the  word  has 
to  end  in  "  S,"  one  must  not  simply  add  "  S  "  to  an  ordinary 
word,  such  as  "  grooms  "  for  G  —  S,  but  find  a  word  ending 
naturally  in  "  S,"  such  as  "  Genesis." 

It  is  not  necessary  to  invert  the  same  word  in  order  to 
get  letters  for  the  ends  of  the  words.  Two  words  of  equal 
length  can  be  chosen  and  arranged  side  by  side.  Thus  (but 
this  is  almost  too  difficult  an  example) :  — 

D  K 

I  I 

c  P 

K  L 

E  I 

N  N 

S  G 

"  Acrostics  "  may  be  made  more  difficult  and  interesting 
by  giving  them  a  distinct  character.  Thus,  it  may  be  decided 
that  all  the  words  that  are  filled  in  must  be  geographical,  or 
literary,  or  relating  to  flowers. 

Fives 

"  Fives  "  is  a  game  which  is  a  test  also  of  one's  store  of 
information.  A  letter  is  chosen,  say  T,  and  for  a  given  time, 
ten  minutes  perhaps,  the  players  write  down  as  many  names 
of  animals  beginning  with  T  as  they  can  think  of.  The  first 
player  then  reads  his  list,  marking  those  words  that  no  one 
else  has  and  crossing  off  all  that  are  also  on  other  players' 
papers.  Then  the  names  of  vegetables  (including  flowers,  trees, 
and  fruit)  are  taken  ;  then  minerals ;  then  persons ;  and  then 
places.  The  player  who  has  most  marks  wins  the  game. 

A  variety  of  this  game  is  to  take  a  long  word,  say  "  ex- 
traordinary," and  within  a  given  time  to  see  how  many  smaller 


62  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

words  can  be  made  from  it,  such  as  tax,  tin,  tea,  tear,  tare, 
tray,  din,  dray,  dairy,  road,  rat,  raid,  and  so  on. 

Lists 

"  Lists  "  is  a  variety  of  "  Fives."  Paper  is  provided,  and 
each  player  in  turn  calls  out  something  which  the  whole  com- 
pany write  down.  Thus,  suppose  there  are  five  players  and 
you  decide  to  go  round  three  times :  the  first  may  say  a  river ; 
the  second,  a  doctor ;  the  third,  a  complaint ;  the  fourth,  a 
play  ;  the  fifth,  a  State  in  the  Union ;  the  first  again,  a  mu- 
sical instrument;  the  second  again,  a  poet;  and  soon,  until 
the  fifteen  things  are  all  written  down.  Each  paper  will  then 
have  the  same  list  of  fifteen  things  upon  it.  One  of  the  com- 
pany then  opens  a  book  at  random,  and  chooses,  say,  the  first 
letter  of  the  third  word  in  the  first  line.  Perhaps  it  is  T. 
For  a  given  time  each  player  has  to  supply  his  list  with  an- 
swers beginning  with  T.  At  the  call  of  time  one  of  the  papers 
may  present  this  appearance :  — 

A  river        .....  Tees 

A  doctor Mr.  Treves 

A  complaint        ....  Tic  Doloreux 

A  play Timon  of  Athens 

A  state  in  the  Union   .         .         .  Tennessee 

A  musical  instrument          .        .  Trombone 

A  poet Tennyson 

A  flower     .  Trefoil 

A  mineral Tin 

A  lake Tanganyika 

A  tree Tulip 

A  country Turkey. 

An  author Trollope 

An  artist Taderna 

A  preacher  ....  Talmage 

Each  player  in  turn  reads  his  list  aloud,  strikes  off  those 
words  that  others  also  have,  and  puts  a  mark  against  the  rest. 
The  specimen  list  here  given  is  too  simple  to  be  called  a  good 


WRITING  GAMES  63 

one.     Players  should  reject  the  first  thing  that  comes  into 
their  thoughts,  in  favor  of  something  less  natural. 

Buried  Names 

The  first  thing  for  the  players  to  do  is  to  decide  what 
kind  of  name  they  will  bury.  The  best  way  is  to  call  out 
something  in  turn.  Thus,  if  there  are  four  players  they  may 
decide  to  bury  the  name  of  an  author,  a  girl,  a  town,  and  a 
river.  Each  player  writes  these  down  and  a  fixed  time  is 
given  for  burial,  which  consists  in  writing  a  sentence  that  shall 
contain  the  name  somewhere  spelled  rightly  but  spread  over  two 
words,  or  three  if  possible.  At  the  end  of  the  time  the  sen- 
tences are  read  aloud  in  turn,  while  the  others  guess.  Of 
course,  the  whole  game  may  be  given  up  to  burying  only  one 
kind  of  name,  but  variety  is  perhaps  better.  Examples  are 
given :  — 

An  author  :  I  like  to  keep  the  yew;  in  good,  order. 
A  girl :  The  boy  was  cruel,  lazy  and  obstinate. 
A  town  :  Clothes  that  are  new  have  no  need  of  brushing. 
A  river :  To  see  spoil*  ham  especially  annoys  me. 

It  is  permissible  to  bury  the  name  in  the  middle  of  one 
longer  word,  but  it  is  better  to  spread  it  over  two  or  three. 
Perhaps  the  best  example  of  a  buried  English  town  is  this  : 
"  The  Queen  of  Sheba  sings  to  keep  her  spirits  up."  This  is 
good,  because  the  sentence  is  natural,  because  of  the  unusual 
number  of  words  that  are  made  use  of  in  the  burial,  and  be- 
cause in  reading  it  aloud  the  sound  of  the  buried  town  is  not 
suggested. 

Letters  and  Telegrams 

In  this  game  you  begin  with  the  Letter.  The  first  thing 
to  write  is  the  address  and  "My  dear ,"  choosing  whom- 
ever you  like,  but  usually,  as  in  "  Consequences,"  either  a  pub 


64  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

lie  person  or  some  one  known,  if  possible,  to  every  one  pres- 
ent. The  paper  is  then  folded  over  and  passed  on.  The  next 
thing  to  write  is  the  letter  itself,  which  should  be  limited  to 
two  minutes  or  some  short  period,  and  should  be  the  kind  of 
letter  that  requires  a  reply.  The  paper  is  folded  and  passed 
on  again,  and  the  subscription,  "  Believe  me  yours  sincerely," 
or  whatever  adverb  you  choose,  and  the  signature  are  then 
added.  (These  may  be  divided  into  two  separate  writings  if 
you  like.)  The  signature  should  be  that  of  another  public  per- 
son, or  friend,  relation  or  acquaintance  of  the  family.  The 
paper  is  then  passed  on  once  more,  and  a  reply  to  the  letter, 
in  the  form  of  a  telegram,  is  written.  That  is  to  say,  you 
must  say  as  much  as  you  can  in  ten  words.  Example :  — 

THE  LETTEB 

The  first  player  writes :  —  My  dear  Buffalo  Bill. 

The  second  player  writes :  —  Can  you  give  me  any  information  about  suitable 
songs  for  our  village  choir? 

The  third  player  writes :  —  Believe  me  yours  slavishly. 
The  fourth  player  writes :  —  Kitchener  of  Khartoum. 

THE  REPLY  TELEGRAM 

The  fifth  player  writes :  —  Be  with  you  to-morrow.     Have  sheets  aired.    Am 
bringing  everything. 

Telegrams 

There  is  also  the  game  of  "  Telegrams."  In  this  the  first 
thing  to  write  is  the  name  of  the  person  sending  the  telegram. 
The  paper  is  then  passed  on,  and  the  name  of  the  person  to 
whom  it  is  sent  is  written.  The  papers  are  then  passed  on 
again  and  opened,  and  the  players  in  turn  each  say  a  letter  of 
the  alphabet,  chosen  at  random,  until  there  are  ten.  As  these 
are  spoken,  each  player  writes  them  on  the  paper  before  him, 
leaving  a  space  after  it ;  so  that  when  the  ten  are  all  written 
down  his  paper  may  look  like  this :  — 


WRITING  GAMES  65 


H 

.   A  .   .    . 

p 

.    .   N  . 

W.    . 

.   E.    .    . 

K. 

.    .   S.   .    . 

T  -    . 

. 

From  the  DUKE  OF  YORK 

To  BARNUM  AND  BAILEY. 


F. 


A  period  of  five  minutes  or  more  is  then  allowed  in  which 
to  complete  the  telegram,  the  message  having  to  be  ten 
words  long,  and  each  word  to  begin,  in  the  same  order,  with 
these  letters.  The  players  should,  as  far  as  possible,  make  the 
telegrams  reasonable,  if  not  possible.  Thus,  the  form  given 
above  might,  wnen  finished,  read  like  this  :  — 

From  the  DUKE  OF  YORK 

To  BARNUM  AND  BAILEY. 

Have  Awning    Prepared  Next 

Wednesday      Evening   Kindly     Send    Five 
Tickets 

In  calling  out  the  ten  letters  which  are  to  be  used  in  the  tele- 
gram, it  is  well  to  avoid  the  unusual  consonants  and  to  have  a 
vowel  here  and  there. 

An  amusing  variety  is  for  all  the  players  to  compose  tele- 
grams on  the  same  subject  ;  the  subject  being  given  before- 
hand. Thus  it  might  be  decided  that  all  the  telegrams  should 
be  sent  from  President  Roosevelt  to  Alice  in  Wonderland  ask- 
ing for  her  views  on  the  tariff.  Then  having  completed  these 
messages,  the  answers  may  also  be  prepared,  using  the  same 
letters.  But,  of  course,  as  in  all  games,  family  matters  work 
out  more  amusingly  than  public  ones. 

Initials 

Paper  is  handed  round,  and  each  player  thinks  of  some 
public  person,  or  friend  or  acquaintance  of  the  company,  and 
writes  in  full  his  or  her  Christian  name  (or  names)  and  sur- 


66  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

name.  Then,  for,  say,  five  minutes,  a  character  sketch  of  the 
person  chosen  has  to  be  composed,  each  word  of  which  begins 
with  the  initial  letter  of  each  of  the  person's  names,  repeated 
in  their  right  order  until  the  supply  of  thought  gives  out  or 
time  is  up.  Thus,  suppose  the  person  chosen  is  Frank  Richard 
Stockton,  the  story  writer.  The  character  sketch  might 
run : — 

F  ancifully    R  ecounts    S  trange    F  reakish    R  oraantic   S  tories.     F  inds 
R  isibility    S  urely.     Frequently    R  aisea    S  miles. 

An  occasional  "  and  "  and  "  of  "  may  be  dropped  in  if  neces- 
sary. Where  one  of  the  names  begins  with  a  vowel  (such  as 
William  ^vvart  Gladstone)  the  character  sketch  can  be  made 
to  run  more  easily. 

It  is  sometimes  more  amusing  to  give  every  one  the  same 
names  to  work  on ;  and  in  some  houses  the  players  are  not  al- 
lowed to  choose  names  for  themselves,  but  must  pass  the  paper 
on.  The  characters  of  towns  and  nations  may  be  written  in 
the  same  way,  using  all  the  letters  of  the  word  as  the  initials 

Riddles 

A  more  difficult  game  is  "  Riddles."  At  the  top  of  the 
paper  is  written  anything  that  you  can  think  of  :  "  A  soldier," 
"A  new  dress,"  "A  fit  of  the  blues,"  "A  railway  accident" 
— anything  that  suggests  itself.  The  paper  is  passed  on  and 
anything  else  is  written,  no  matter  what.  It  is  passed  on 
again  and  opened.  Suppose  that  the  two  things  written  on  it 
are,  first,  "  A  school-teacher,"  and  second,  "  A  pair  of  skates." 
The  duty  of  the  player  is  to  treat  them  as  a  riddle,  and,  ask- 
ing the  question  either  as  "  Why  is  a  school-teacher  like  a  pair 
of  skates?"  or  "What  is  the  difference  between  a  school- 
teacher and  a  pair  of  skates?  "  (whichever  way  one  prefers) 
to  supply  a  reasonable  answer.  This  game,  it  will  be  seen,  is 
suited  particularly  to  clever  people. 


WRITING  GAMES  67 

Rhymed  Replies 

This  is  a  game  that  needs  a  certain  amount  of  readiness 
and  some  skill  with  words.  Each  of  the  party  writes  at  the 
top  of  a  piece  of  paper  a  question  of  any  kind  whatever,  such 
as  "  How  old  was  Caesar  when  he  died  ?  "  or  "  What  is  your 
favorite  color  ?  "  The  paper  is  folded  over  and  passed  on, 
and  the  next  player  writes  a  word — any  word — such  as  "  elec- 
tricity," "  potato,"  "  courageously,"  "  milk."  The  papers  are 
then  passed  on  once  more  and  opened,  and  the  task  of  each 
player  is  to  write  a  rhyme  in  which  the  question  on  his  paper 
is  answered  and  the  word  on  his  paper  is  introduced. 

Missing  Information 

Every  one  is  supplied  with  a  piece  of  paper  and  pencils  and 
tries  to  write  down  correct  answers  to  questions  about  every- 
day things  which  we  none  of  us  know.  A  suggestive  list  is 
given  but  any  one  can  add  to  it  indefinitely. 

1.  How  big  do  you  think  a  postage-stamp  is,  in  inches 
—  a  five  dollar  bill  ? 

2.  Draw  a  picture  of  a  clock's  face  with  the  hands  point- 
ing to  five  minutes  of  twelve. 

3.  How  tall  do  you  think  a  man's  silk  hat  is,  a  derby  ? 

4.  Draw  the  design  in  panels  of  the  door  to  the  room  you 
are  in.     (Of  course  without  looking  at  it.) 

5.  How  many  holes  are  there  in  a  high  laced  shoe  —  your 
own  ? 

6.  How  many  toes  has  a  cat,  a  dog  ? 

7.  How  many  legs  has  a  fly  ? 

8.  How  does  a  cow  lie  down  ?    A  horse  ? 

9.  About  how  many  petals  has  a  common  daisy  ?    A 
wild  rose  ?    A  sun  flower  ? 

10.  How   high  from   the  ground  is  a    street-car  ?  —  a 
railway  car? 


68  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

The  person  who  can  answer  most  correctly  the  greatest 
number  of  questions  is  the  winner. 

Consequences 

"  Consequences  "  is  always  a  favorite  game  when  a  party 
has  reached  its  frivolous  mood.  The  method  of  playing  is 
this  :  Sheets  of  paper  and  pencils  are  handed  round,  and  every 
one  writes  at  the  head  (1)  an  adjective  suitable  to  be  applied 
to  a  man,  such  as  "  Handsome."  This  word  is  then  folded 
over  so  that  it  cannot  be  read,  and  each  paper  is  passed  on  to 
the  next  person.  The  name  of  a  man  (2)  is  then  written, 
either  some  one  you  know,  or  a  public  person,  such  as  the 
president  or  Mr.  Carnegie.  This  in  turn  is  folded  over  and 
the  papers  are  passed  on.  The  word  "  met  "  is  understood  to 
be  inserted  at  this  point.  That  is  to  say,  the  completed  story 
will  tell  how  Handsome  Mr.  Carnegie  met  some  one.  The 
next  thing  (3)  is  to  put  down  an  adjective  suitable  to  apply  to 
the  woman  whom  he  met,  such  as  "  Buxom,"  and  then  (4)  the 
woman's  name,  again  either  some  one  you  know,  or  a  public 
person,  —  the  papers  being  folded  and  passed  on  after  every 
writing.  The  remaining  items  are  these :  —  (5)  The  place 
where  they  met  —  say,  on  the  pier.  (6)  What  he  said  to  her  — 
say,  "  I  hope  your  neuralgia  is  better."  (7)  What  she  said  to 
him  —  say,  "There's  nothing  like  rain  for  the  crops."  (8) 
What  the  consequence  was  —  say,  "  They  were  married."  (9) 
What  the  world  said  —  "  All's  well  that  ends  well." 

It  must  be  remembered  that  unless  there  are  very  few 
players,  when  it  is  less  fun,  you  do  not  get  the  chance  of  writing 
more  than  once,  or  at  most  twice,  on  the  same  sheet  of  paper, 
so  that  it  is  of  no  use  to  have  a  reasonable  series  of  remarks 
in  your  mind.  The  specimen  given  above  is  an  average  one. 
In  print  nothing  could  be  much  less  funny,  but  when  the  com- 
pany has  the  spirit  of  "  Consequences,"  even  so  tame  a  story 


WRITING  GAMES  69 

as  this  might  keep  the  room  merry.  The  game  is  always  full 
of  the  unexpected,  and  the  people  who  meet  each  other  are 
almost  sure  to  be  laughing-stocks.  The  results  are  often  bet- 
ter if  all  the  papers  are  handed  to  one  player  to  read. 

Consequences  Extended 

The  form  of  "  Consequences  "  above  given  is  the  ordinary 
one  and  the  simplest.  But  in  certain  families  the  game  has 
been  altered  and  improved  by  other  clauses.  We  give  the 
fullest  form  of  "  Consequences  "  with  which  we  are  acquainted- 
As  it  stands  it  is  rather  too  long  ;  but  players  may  like  to  add 
to  the  fun  of  the  ordinary  game  by  adopting  a  few  of  these 
additions:  — 

Adjective  for  a  man. 
The  man. 

What  he  was  wearing. 
What  he  was  doing. 

(Met) 

Adjective  for  a  woman. 
The  woman. 
What  she  was  wearing 
What  she  was  doing. 

The  person  he  would  much  rather  have  met. 
Where  they  met. 
What  he  thought. 
What  he  said. 
What  she  thought. 
What  she  said. 
What  he  gave  her. 
What  she  did  with  it. 
Where  they  went. 
What  they  did. 
What  the  consequence  was. 
What  the  world  said. 

Example :  — 

The  honorable  Theodore  Roosevelt,  who  was  dressed  in  a  Moire  antique 
bath-towel  and  was  eating  walnuts,  met  coy  Aunt  Prisoilla  in  a  Khaki  tea-gown 


70  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

playing  with  her  Noah's  Ark,  when  he  would  much  rather  have  met  Madame 
Tuasaud.  They  met  at  South  Hampton.  What  he  thought  was,  "  Here  's  this 
woman  again,"  but  he  merely  said,  "That's  a  very  chic  costume  of  yours." 
What  she  thought  was,  u  I  wonder  if  he's  seen  Peter  Pan,"  but  she  only  said, 
"That's  wet  paint  you're  leaning  against."  He  gave  her  a  piercing  glance, 
and  she  swallowed  it.  So  they  went  to  prison  together  and  learned  to  ride  the 
bicycle,  and  the  consequence  was  they  caught  influenza,  and  the  world  said, 
"  Ifc  's  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good." 

Composite  Stories 

Another  folding-over  and  passing-on  game  is  "  Composite 
Stories."  Paper  is  passed  round,  and  for  five  minutes  each 
player  writes  the  opening  of  a  story  with  a  title  prefixed. 
The  papers  are  passed  on,  and  each  player  reads  through  as 
much  of  the  story  as  has  been  written  and  for  five  minutes 
adds  to  it.  And  so  on,  until  each  player  has  written  once  on 
each  paper.  The  papers  are  then  passed  on  once  more,  with 
the  result  that  each  paper  will  be  found  to  be  lying  before  the 
player  who  began  it.  The  next  and  last  five  minutes  are  then 
spent  by  each  person  in  reading  through  the  story  and  bring- 
ing it  to  an  end,  sometimes  a  difficult  enough  task.  If  six 
persons  are  playing  and  allowances  of  five  minutes  have  been 
given,  there  will  be  at  the  end  of  thirty-five  minutes  six  com- 
plete stories  to  read  aloud. 

Another  Story  Game 

A  variety  of  the  story  game  is  for  each  player  to  write 
the  name  of  a  well-known  person  or  friend  of  the  family  on 
the  top  of  the  paper,  fold  it  over,  and  pass  it  on.  This  hap- 
pens, say,  five  times,  which  means  that  when  the  papers  are 
opened  the  names  of  five  persons  will  be  found  on  each.  A 
story  has  then  to  be  written  introducing  these  people. 

Improbable  Stories 

Another  story  game  is  one  in  which  each  player  attempts 
to  tell  the  most  improbable  or  impossible  story.  In  this  case 


WRITING  GAMES  71 

the  papers  are  not  passed  on,  but  a  certain  amount  of  time  is 
given  for  the  stories  to  be  written  in. 

The  Newspaper 

This  is  a  rather  elaborate  but  really  very  eas}r  game  to 
play.  One  player,  who  acts  as  editor,  takes  as  many  sheets  of 
paper  as  there  are  players  and  writes  at  the  head  of  each  the 
title  of  a  section  of  a  newspaper.  Thus  on  one  he  will  write, 
Paris  Correspondence  ;  on  another,  English  Correspondence  ; 
on  another,  Berlin  Correspondence ;  on  a  fourth,  Political 
News ;  on  a  fifth,  Our  Fashion  Page ;  on  a  sixth,  Keviews ;  on 
a  seventh,  Weather  Report;  and  so  on.  Each  player  then, 
for  a  given  time,  writes  on  the  subject  allotted  to  him,  more 
or  less  in  the  manner  of  the  daily  press,  and  at  the  end  the 
result  is  read  aloud  by  the  editor. 

The  plan  is  easily  adapted  to  family  or  village  life.  The 
heading  may  refer  to  domestic  matters,  such  as  Nursery  Cor- 
respondence, Kitchen  Gossip,  Fashions  for  Gentlemen  (an  ac- 
count of  father's  new  suit),  Garden  News,  Village  Chatter,  and 
so  on.  Or,  instead  of  a  newspaper,  a  popular  magazine  may 
be  contributed,  with  illustrations. 

Predicaments 

This  is  a  good  game  for  a  company  of  ingenious  people, 
and  it  will  be  found  that  almost  every  one  is  ingenious  when 
confronted  with  a  difficult  situation  and  given  time  to  think 
out  a  solution.  Everyone  is  given  paper  and  pencil  (or  this  is 
not  necessary  since  the  solutions  may  be  oral).  Then  one 
player  starts  the  game  by  suggesting  some  predicament  and 
asking  the  company  "  What  would  you  do  in  such  a  case  ?  " 
Five  minutes  are  given  for  reflection,  and  fifteen  if  the  an- 
swers are  to  be  written.  Then  each  in  turn  must  say  how  he 
would  have  extricated  himself  from  the  scrape. 

A  few  suitable  subjects  are  given  here.     If  you  found 


72  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

yourself  in  a  strange  city,  where  you  did  n't  know  a  soul,  with 
no  money  and  nothing  you  could  pawn,  what  would  you  do  ? 

If  you  should  wake  up  in  the  night  and  see  a  burglar  just 
entering  the  room,  what  would  you  do  ? 

If  you  should  look  out  of  your  school-room  door  and  see 
smoke  and  fire  in  the  hall,  what  would  you  do  ? 

If  you  should  be  in  a  foreign  country,  not  able  to  speak 
the  language  and  wanted  to  order  a  room  and  breakfast,  what 
would  you  do  ? 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES 

Card  Games  and  Others 

CARD  games  proper,  such  as  Bezique  and  Cribbage  and 
Whist,  do  not  come  into  the  scope  of  this  book.     Nor 
do  games  such  as  Chess,  Draughts,  Halma  and  Back- 
gammon.    It  is  not  that  they  are  not  good  games,  but  that, 
having  to  be  bought,  their  rules  do  not  need  enumerating 
again.     The    description     of  a  few   very   old  and  favorite 
games  with  cards,  and  one  or  two  new  ones,  is,  however, 
given,  because  they  can  be  made  at  home. 

Letter  Games 

On  page  178  will  be  found  the  simplest  letter  game. 
Letters  can  be  used  for  a  round  game  by  one  player  making  a 
word,  shuffling  it,  and  throwing  it  face  upward  into  the 
middle  of  the  table.  The  winner  is  the  player  who  first  sees 
what  it  spells. 

Distribute  a  box  of  letters  among  the  players,  dealing 
them  face  downward.  In  turn  each  player  takes  up  a  letter 
at  random  and  puts  it  face  upward  in  the  middle  of  the 
table.  The  object  of  the  game  is  to  make  words  out  of  these 
letters.  Directly  a  player  sees  a  word  he  calls  it  out,  and 
taking  the  letters  places  them  in  front  of  him,  where  they 
remain  until  the  end  of  the  game,  when  each  player  counts 
his  words  and  the  owner  of  the  greatest  number  is  the 
winner.  If,  however,  a  word  has  been  chosen  which,  by  the 
addition  of  another  letter  or  so  from  the  middle  of  the  table, 
can  be  transformed  into  a  longer  word,  the  player  who  thinks 
of  this  longer  word  takes  the  shorter  word  from  the  other 
player  and  places  it  before  himself.  Thus,  A  might  see  the 

75 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 


word  "  seat "  among  the  letters,  and  calling  it  out,  place  it 
before  him ;  and  then  B,  noticing  another  "  t,"  might  call 
out  "  state,"  and  adding  it  to  A's  word,  take  that  to  himself. 
If,  however,  A  then  detected  an  "  e"  in  the  middle  and  called 
out  "  estate  "  the  word  would  be  his  again.  These  losses  and 
reconquests  form  the  chief  fun  of  the  game.  An  "  s  "  at  the 
end  of  a  word,  forming  a  plural,  is  not  allowed. 

Patience,  or  Thirteens 

Many  games  of  "  Patience  "  can  be  played  as  well  with 
numbered  cards  as  with  ordinary  playing  cards.  It  does  not 
matter  much  what  size  they  are,  but  for  convenience,  in  play- 
ing on  a  small  table,  they  may  as  well  be  about  an  inch  wide 
and  two  inches  long,  with  the  number  at  the  top.  Thus  :  — 


12 


A  "  Patience "  set  consists  of  four  packs  of  cards  each 
containing  four  sets  of  thirteen  cards  numbered  from  1  to  13. 
These  can  be  made  at  home  perfectly  well,  and  a  little  bag  to 
hold  each  pack  should  also  be  made.  The  simplest  game  is  to 
arrange  the  four  sets  in  their  right  order.  One  player 
empties  her  four  bags  into  a  basket,  shakes  them  up,  and  calls 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES  77 

them  out  as  she  picks  them  out  (at  random).  The  others,  who 
have  the  cards  spread  before  them,  then  arrange  them  in  four 
rows  as  well  as  may  be,  until  a  1  is  called  and  there  is  a 
chance  to  begin  packing  the  others  upon  it.  With 
inexperienced  players  five  rows  are  sometimes  allowed.  We 
do  not  give  other  games  of  "  Patience,"  for  two  reasons.  One 
is  that  it  is  not  exactly  a  children's  game,  and  the  other,  that 
it  is  one  of  the  games  which  can  be  properly  taught  only  by 
personal  instruction.  Varieties  of  "Patience"  are  very 
numerous,  and  good  books  can  be  had  on  the  subject. 

Snap 

There  can  be  no  real  need  to  describe  "Snap,"  but 
perhaps  it  may  be  useful  to  have  the  rules  in  print  here  in 
case  of  any  dispute.  A  pack  of  "  Snap  "  cards  is  dealt  round, 
any  number  being  able  to  play ;  and  the  game  begins  by  the 
players  taking  their  cards  one  by  one  from  their  hands  and  in 
turn  laying  them  face  upward  on  the  table  before  them.  If  a 
card  is  turned  up  similar  to  a  card  already  on  view  on  the 
table,  the  player  who  turns  it  up  or  the  player  who  owns  the 
similar  card  cries  "  Snap,"  and  the  cards  go  to  the  player  who 
says  "  Snap "  first.  As  it  is  sometimes  difficult  for  the 
players  to  distinguish  which  says  "  Snap  "  first,  it  is  well  to 
have  an  umpire.  In  the  case  of  an  undoubted  dead-heat  the 
game  should  go  on  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  The  player 
who  won  the  cards  gathers  up  also  into  his  hand  all  the  cards 
which  were  before  him  and  continues  the  game.  When  a 
player  has  transferred  all  his  cards  from  his  hand  to  the  table 
he  waits  until  his  turn  comes  and  then  takes  them  into  his 
hand  again.  This  is  a  very  exciting  moment,  because,  if  his 
top  card  were  snapped,  then  he  would  lose  everything. 

In  good  "  Snap  "  packs  there  are  several  sets  of  cards 
which  are  intentionally  made  nearly  but  not  absolutely  alike} 


78  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

and  it  is  very  common  to  say  "  Snap  "  by  mistake  when  one 
of  these  turns  up.  In  that  case  the  cards  of  the  player  who 
cried  "  Snap  "  are  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  table,  where 
they  stay  until  some  one  turns  up  a  card  exactly  like  the  top 
one  and  "  Snap  Centre  "  is  called,  when  both  the  centre  pack 
and  the  pack  in  front  of  the  turner-up  belong  to  the  player 
who  cried  "  Snap  Centre."  It  may  of  course  be  the  turner-up 
himself,  but  is  very  likely  somebody  else,  because  whereas 
under  ordinary  conditions  only  the  owners  of  similar  cards 
may  cry  "  Snap,"  when  there  are  cards  in  the  middle  too  any 
one  may  cry  "  Snap  Centre."  (In  some  houses  any  one  may 
cry  "  Snap  "  all  through  the  game,  but  that  is  not  the  best 
way.) 

When  a  player  has  lost  all  his  cards  he  is  out  of  the 
game  until  there  are  cards  in  the  middle  again,  when  an 
opportunity  comes  of  snap-centring  them  and  getting  into 
play  again.  The  game  goes  on  until  one  player  has  all  the 
cards. 

Grab 

In  "  Grab,"  a  very  rowdy  variety  of  "  Snap,"  a  cork  is 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  table.  The  rules  are  the  same  as 
in  "  Snap,"  except  that,  instead  of  saying  "  Snap,"  you  snatch 
for  the  cork ;  in  the  case  of  "  Snap  Centre,"  snatching  and 
saying  "  Centre  "  too. 

Snap  Cards 

"  Snap  "  cards  may  just  as  well  be  home-made  as  bought. 
They  either  can  be  painted,  in  which  case  you  must  be  careful 
that  the  sets  of  four  articles  are  just  alike,  or  you  can  cut  out 
shapes  of  different  colored  paper  and  stick  them  on.  A 
bundle  of  wall-paper  patterns  is  splendid  material  for  a  pack. 
The  only  advantage  that  bought  "Snap"  cards  have  over 
home-made  ones  is  that  they  slip  better. 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES  79 

Old  Maid 

This  game  can  be  played  by  any  number,  either  with  a 
home-made  pack  or  with  ordinary  playing  cards  from  which 
three  of  the  queens  have  been  taken  away ;  the  remaining 
queen  being  the  old  maid.  The  cards  are  then  dealt  and  each 
player  first  weeds  out  all  pairs,  such  as  two  knaves,  two  aces, 
two  fives,  and  so  on.  All  having  done  this,  the  player 
who  begins  offers  her  hand,  with  the  cards  face  downward^ 
to  her  neighbor,  and  her  neighbor  takes  one.  She  then  looks 
through  her  cards  to  see  if  it  pairs  with  any  that  she  already 
has,  and,  if  it  does,  throws  the  pair  on  the  table.  Having  fin- 
ished her  examination  she  offers  her  cards  in  the  same  way  to 
the  next  player,  and  so  it  goes  on.  As  the  possessor  of  the 
old  maid  card  is,  at  the  end,  the  loser  of  the  game,  each  one 
who  gets  it  does  all  in  her  power  to  induce  the  next  player  to 
take  it.  As  the  cards  get  fewer  and  fewer  the  excitement 
grows  and  grows. 

"  Old  Bachelor  "  is  played  in  the  same  way,  except  that 
three  of  the  kings  are  then  thrown  out 

Pig 

"  Pig  "  is  a  very  noisy  game.  It  is  played  with  ordinary 
cards,  unless  you  like  to  make  a  "  Pig  "  set,  which  would  be 
very  easy.  Having  discovered  how  many  persons  want  to 
play,  you  treat  the  pack  accordingly.  For  instance,  if  five 
want  to  play  you  throw  out  all  cards  except  five  sets  of  four ; 
if  six,  or  three,  you  throw  out  all  cards  except  six  sets  of  four 
or  three  sets  of  four.  Thus,  if  five  were  playing,  the  cards 
might  consist  of  four  aces,  four  twos,  four  threes,  four  fours, 
and  four  fives ;  or,  if  you  began  at  the  other  end,  four  kings, 
four  queens,  four  knaves,  four  tens  and  four  nines.  The  cards 
are  shuffled  and  dealt  round,  four  each,  and  the  game  is  for 
each  player  to  complete  a  set  of  four.  You  do  not.  as  in 


8o  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

"  Old  Maid,"  select  one  from  the  cards  that  are  offered,  face> 
downward,  but  each  player  hands  whatever  card  he  likes  to 
the  next  player,  who  is  bound  to  accept  it.  Directly  a  player 
has  a  set  of  four  complete  he  lays  the  cards  on  the  table, 
either  very  stealthily  or  with  a  bang,  whichever  he  likes. 
Immediately  a  set  is  laid  on  the  table  (or  directly  the  other 
players  notice  it)  all  other  cards  have  to  be  laid  there,  too. 
The  player  who  is  last  in  laying  them  down  is  Pig.  The 
game  is  played  for  as  many  rounds  as  you  like,  the  player 
who  was  last  the  fewest  times  being  the  winner.  The  word 
Pig  alters  with  each  round.  The  last  player  to  lay  down  his 
cards  in  the  second  round  is  not  merely  Pig,  but  Little  Pig ; 
in  the  third,  Big  Pig ;  in  the  fourth,  Mother  (or  Father)  Pig ; 
in  the  fifth,  Grandmother  (or  Grandfather)  Pig ;  in  the  sixth, 
Ancestral  Pig ;  in  the  seventh,  Venerable  Pig ;  in  the  eighth, 
Primeval  Pig ;  in  the  ninth,  Crackling. 

Prophecies  and  Characteristics 

This  is  a  memory  game  and  a  very  amusing  one.  It  is 
played  with  two  packs  of  cards  of  any  sort.  One  pack  is  laid 
in  a  heap,  face  down,  in  the  middle  of  the  table.  The  other 
pack  is  distributed  to  the  players,  who  lay  them  face  upward 
in  rows ;  each  person  should  not  have  more  than  twelve  cards 
since  it  is  practically  impossible  to  remember  more  than  that 
number.  Any  one  can  begin  by  giving  either  a  prophecy  or 
a  characteristic  —  thus :  "  Who  will  inherit  a  fortune  inside 
a  year  ?  "  or  "  Who  will  be  the  first  in  the  room  to  wear  false 
teeth  ?  "  at  the  same  time  turning  up  a  card  from  the  centre 
pile.  Whoever  has  the  card  matching  this,  takes  it,  lays  it 
face  down  on  his  card  repeating  the  prophecy,  "  I  will  be  the 
first  to  wear  false  teeth."  The  next  in  turn  gives  a  charac 
teristic,  "  Who  has  the  worst  temper  ? "  or  "  Who  has  the 
most  unselfish  disposition  ?  "  This  process  continues  around, 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES  81 

until  all  the  centre  cards  are  matched.  Then  the  memory 
test  comes  in.  Every  player  in  turn  tries  to  remember  and 
repeat  all  the  prophecies  and  characteristics  which  have  fallen 
to  his  share,  giving  them  aloud  in  rapid  succession.  He  is 
allowed  for  deliberation  on  any  one  only  the  time  while  ten 
is  being  counted.  The  one  who  remembers  the  greatest  num- 
ber is  the  winner. 

The  Old  Maid's  Birthday 

This  game  is  utterly  foolish,  but  it  can  lead  to  shouts  of 
laughter.  It  has  been  founded  on  an  old-fashioned  card  game 
called  "  Mr.  Punch."  The  first  thing  required  is  a  pack  of 
plain  cards  on  which  should  be  written  the  names  of  articles 
of  food  and  clothing,  household  utensils,  and  other  domestic 
and  much  advertised  things  :  such,  for  example,  as  a  frock-coat, 
a  round  of  beef,  a  foot- warmer,  a  box  of  pills.  A  story,  some- 
what on  the  lines  of  that  which  follows,  must  then  be  pre- 
pared and  copied  into  a  note-book.  The  company  take  their 
places  and  the  cards  are  handed  round.  These  should  be  held 
face  downward.  When  all  is  ready  one  of  the  players  reads 
the  story,  pausing  at  each  blank  for  the  player  whose  turn 
comes  next  to  fill  it  in  by  calling  out  whatever  is  on  his  up- 
permost card.  No  matter  how  often  the  game  is  played  (pro- 
vided the  cards  are  re-shuffled)  the  unexpected  always  hap- 
pens, and  it  is  usually  so  absurd  as  to  be  quite  too  much  for  a 
room  all  ready  for  laughter.  The  number  of  blanks  in  the 
story  should  be  equal  to  the  number  of  cards,  and  in  order 
that  the  story  may  run  on  smoothly  it  is  well  for  the  next 
player  always  to  glance  at  his  top  card  just  before  his  turn, 
so  as  to  bring  it  out  readily  and  naturally.  The  following 
story,  which  makes  provision  for  nearly  fifty  cards,  should  be 
found  serviceable  until  a  better  and  more  personal  one  is 
written.  It  will  add  to  the  amusement  if  the  player  who 


82  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

reads  it  substitutes  the  names  of  real  shops  and,  if  he  likes, 
real  people : 

Attention.  It  was  Miss  Flitters's  birthday,  and  she  woke  with  a  start 
and  hurried  down  to  see  what  the  postman  had  brought.  There  were  five  par- 
cels and  a  letter.  The  letter  was  from  Miss  Bitters.  "Dear  Miss  Flitters,"  it 
ran,  "I  am  so  sorry  to  hear  of  your  cold,  and  in  the  hope  that  it  will  do  you 

good,  I  am  sending  you  a .  I  always  find  it  excellent,  although  mother 

prefers .  We  both  wish  you  many  happy  returns  of  the  day."  The  other 

presents  were,  from  Miss  Ditters  a  handsome ,  from  Miss  Glitters  a  deli- 
cate  ,  and  from  Miss  Hitters  a  particularly  refined .  "  Dear  me ! "  said 

Miss  Flitters,  "  what  a  useful  gift !  just  exactly  what  I  wanted."  She  then  sat 

down  to  breakfast,  which,  this  being  a  special  day,  consisted  of .  "I  did 

my  best  to  do  it  to  a  turn,"  said  the  cook,  as  she  laid  it  on  the  table  with  her 

own  hands.  "Mary  said  as  how  you'd  prefer  a ,  but,  bless  your  'eart, 

Miss  Flitters,  I  know  your  tastes  best."  "  You  do,  indeed,"  said  Miss  Flitters. 
"  The  thing  is  perfectly  cooked.  It 's  delicious.  It  reminds  me  of .  To- 
day," she  added,  "  I  am  giving  a  party,  and  I  want  you  to  let  us  have  a  very 
charming  meal.  I  will  get  the  things  directly  after  breakfast.  What  do  you 
think  we  shall  need?"  "Well,  ma'am,"  said  the  cook,  "you  may  please 

yourself  about  everything  else,  but  we  've  done  without  a for  so  long,  that 

I  must  have  one."  "  Quite  right,"  said  her  mistress. 

She  then  prepared  for  going  out ;  and  seeing  that  it  looked  like  rain,  took 

a from  the  cupboard  and  on  her  head  tied  a .  "Bless  your 'eart, 

mum,"  cried  the  cook,  "  you  've  forgot  your  smelling  salts.  Suppose  you  was 
to  feel  faint  —  what  then?  Never  mind,"  she  added,  "  this  '11  do  just  as  well  " 

—  handing  her  a .  Miss  Flitters  hunied  off  at  such  a  pace  that  she  ran 

right  into  the  minister.  "  I  beg  your  pardon,"  she  exclaimed,  "I  mistook  you 

for  a . »  « J  May  I  come  with  you  ? ' '  asked  the  minister.  ' '  Most  certainly, ' * 

said  Miss  Flitters. 

They  went  first  to  Buszard's  for  a ,  and  selected  two  particularly  juicy 

ones.  Then  to  Marshall  and  Snelgrove's  for  a .  "Is  this  for  the  com- 
plexion?" asked  the  minister,  picking  up  a from  the  counter.  "  La,  sir," 

said  Miss  Flitters,  "  how  little  you  know  of  domestic  life  !  "  Then  they  went 
to  Fuller's  for  a ,  and  to  Jay's  for  a .  "  It 's  too  dear, "  said  Miss  Flit- 
ters. * '  Give  me  a instead. ' '  At  the  stores  they  inspected .  ' '  Haven  't 

you  anything  fresher?  "  asked  Miss  Flitters  :  "  I  'd  as  soon  buy  a ."  None 

the  less  she  bought  two  and  slipped  them  into  her  reticule,  adding  as  a  little 
gift  for  the  cook  a . 

The  party  began  at  six  o'clock.  The  first  to  come  was  Miss  Kitters.  "  You 
don't  mind  my  bringing  my  work,  I  know,  dear,"  she  exclaimed;  "I'm  em- 


TABLE  AND  CARD  GAMES  83 

broidering  a for  the  natives  of  Madagascar,  and  it  must  be  done  soon," 

Miss  Litters  came  next,  and  being  rather  short-sighted,  sat  down  on  a . 

"Never  mind,"  said  Miss  Flitters.  "Oh,  I  don't,"  she  replied,  "  but  it  would 

have  been  more  comfortable  if  it  had  been  a ."  Misa  Mitters  came  just  as 

the  clock  struck.  She  was  wearing  a  charming trimmed  with . 

"What  perfect  taste  she  has  !  "  the  others  murmured.  Miss  Nitters  followed. 
Miss  Nitters  was  the  exact  opposite  of  Miss  Mitters  in  all  matters  relating  to 

dress.  She  had  no  taste  at  all,  and  was  wearing  merely  a with  pompons 

attached,  and  in  place  of  earrings  a  couple  of .  "So  fast !  "  whispered  Miss 

Litters.  Miss  Fitters,  Miss  Ritters,  and  Miss  Titters  each  brought  a  present. 

Miss  Pitters's  present  was  a  silver-plated .  "  So  useful  for  the  toilet  table," 

she  said.  Miss  Ritters's  was  a  Japanese ,  a  piece  of  exquisite  workmanship ; 

while  Miss  Titters  produced  from  her  pocket  a  brown  paper  parcel  which  turned 

out  to  contain  a  very  choice ,  an  heirloom  in  the  Titters  family  for  centuries. 

"  I  did  n't  know  whether  to  bring  this  or  a ,"  she  said  ;  "  but  father  decided 

me.  Father  always  knows  best." 

When  all  were  assembled,  the  guests  sat  down  to  supper.  But  here  an 
awkward  thing  happened.  "If  you  please,  mum,"  the  cook  was  heard  to 

whisper  in  a  loud  voice,  "  the has  n't  come.  Shall  I  get  a instead  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Miss  Flitters,  "  that  will  do  very  well.  Don't  you  think  so,  Miss 

Fitters?"  "I  think,"  was  the  reply,  "I  should  prefer ."  It  was  none 

the  less  an  excellent  and  generous  repast.  Opposite  Miss  Flitters  was  a  no- 
ble   ,  flanked  by  a and  a .  At  the  foot  of  the  table  was  a  dish 

of .  "I  never  tasted  anything  so  delicious  in  my  life,"  said  Miss  Mitters, 

taking  a  large  helping  of .  "Oh  !"  said  Miss  Glitters,  "you  should  try 

the .  It's  yumps."  The  first  course  was  followed  by  sweets,  the  most  im- 
posing of  which  was  a  wonderful  frosted with  Miss  Flitters's  name  in  pink 

sugar.  "You  must  all  have  a  piece,"  said  the  hostess,  "but  I  'm  afraid  it 's 
rather  rich. ' ' 

After  supper  came  games,  "Blind  Man's  Buff  "and  "Hunt  the  Slipper," 

but  as  no  one  cared  to  lend  a  slipper,  they  used  instead  a ,  and  it  did  very 

well.  At  midnight  the  party  broke  up,  the  guests  saying  that  they  never  had 
spent  a  pleasanter  evening.  Asa  protection  against  the  cold  Miss  Flitters  gave 
them  each  a  hot .  She  then  hurried  to  bed  and  dreamed  all  night  of . 


THINKING,  GUESSING,  AND  ACTING 
GAMES 


THINKING,  GUESSING,  AND  ACTING 
GAMES 

The  Ship  Alphabet 

THE  players  sit  in  a  long  row,  as  if  in  a  class  at  school. 
The  one  that  acts  as  schoolmaster  asks  sharply,  be- 
ginning at  one  end,  "The  name  of  the  letter?" 
u  A,"  says  the  player.  The  schoolmaster  turns  to  the  next 
player,  "the  name  of  the  ship?"  and  straightway  begins  to 
count  ten  very  quickly  and  sternly.  "  Andromeda,"  is  per- 
haps rapped  out  before  he  reaches  that  number.  "  The  name 
of  the  captain  ?  "  "  Alfred."  "  The  name  of  the  cargo  ?  " 
"Armor."  "The  port  she  comes  from?"  "Amsterdam." 
"The  place  she  is  bound  for?"  "Antananarivo."  "The 
next  letter  ?  "  "  B,"  and  so  on.  If  the  schoolmaster  is  very 
strict  and  abrupt  with  his  questions  and  counting,  he  can1 
drive  every  idea  from  the  mind  of  the  person  he  points  at.  If 
he  counts  ten  before  an  answer  comes,  he  passes  on  to  the  next, 
and  the  next,  and  the  next,  until  the  answer  is  given.  The 
one  who  gives  it  moves  up  above  those  that  failed.  The 
game  should  be  played  rapidly. 

A  variation  on  this  is  "  When  my  ship  comes  in."  This 
is  played  with  a  handkerchief  knotted  into  a  ball.  Any  letter 
of  the  alphabet  is  chosen ;  say  B.  One  player  throws  the 
handkerchief  to  another,  crying  out,  "  When  my  ship  comes 

in   it  will  be  laden  with. ."     The  player  who  catches 

the  handkerchief  must  supply  a  cargo,  beginning  with  B  be- 
fore ten  is  counted,  bees,  butterflies,  belts,  etc.  If  he  fails  to 
do  this  he  gives  a  forfeit.  When  one  letter  is  exhausted  an- 
other is  chosen  and  the  game  starts  over. 

87 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


I  Love  My  Love 

This  is  not  played  now  as  once  it  was.  In  the  old  way 
the  players  sat  in  a  line  and  went  steadily  through  the  alpha- 
bet, each  one  taking  a  letter  in  order.  This  was  the  form  :  — 
"  I  love  my  love  with  an  A,  because  he  is  [a  favorable  ad- 
jective beginning  with  A],  I  hate  him  with  an  A  because  he 
is  [an  unfavorable  adjective  beginning  with  A].  He  took  me 
to  the  sign  of  the  [an  inn  sign  beginning  with  A],  and  treated 
me  to  [two  eatables  or  an  eatable  and  drinkable  beginning  with 
A],  His  name  is  [a  man's  name  beginning  with  A],  and  he 
comes  from  [a  town  or  country  beginning  with  A]."  Then  B, 
and  so  on. 

A  and  B  might  run  thus :  — 

I  love  my  love  with  an  A  because  be  is  adorable.  I  bate  him  with  an  A 
because  he  is  apish.  He  took  me  to  the  sign  of  the  Alderman  and  treated  me 
to  arrowroot  and  ale.  His  name  is  Arnold,  and  he  comes  from  Ayrshire. 

I  love  my  love  with  a  B  because  he  is  brisk.  I  hate  him  with  a  B  because 
he  is  bookish.  He  took  me  to  the  sign  of  the  Beetle  and  treated  me  to  biscuits 
and  bovril.  His  name  is  Brian,  and  he  comes  from  Boston. 

There  is  no  reason  why  men  should  always  be  chosen. 
For  the  sake  of  variety  the  love  may  as  well  have  a  woman's 
name  and  a  woman's  qualities.  In  that  case  the  inn  might 
perhaps  go  and  some  such  sentence  as  this  take  its  place :  - 

I  love  my  love  with  an  A  because  she  is  amiable.  I  hate  her  with  an  A 
because  she  is  awesome.  We  went  to  Uncle  Alexander's,  and  had  apricots  and 
Apollicaris.  Her  name  is  Audrey,  and  she  comes  from  Annapolis. 

As  finding  seven  words  beginning  with  one  letter  is  rather 
a  heavy  task  for  each  player,  the  words  might  be  taken  in  turn, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  "  Ship  "  game  mentioned  above. 

For  a  shorter  way  of  playing  "  I  Love  my  Love  "  tne  fol- 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES          89 

lowing  form  is  used :  —  "I  love  my  love  with  an  A  because  he 

—  or  she  —  is  [favorable  adjective].     I  will  send  him  —  or  her 

—  to  [some  place]  and  feed  him  —  or  her  —  on  [something  to 
eat].     I  will  give  him  —  or  her —  an  [some  article,  the  use  for 
which  must  be  mentioned  after  it],  and  a  bunch  of  [some 
flower]  for  a  nosegay."    Thus  :  — 

I  love  my  love  with  an  A  because  he  is  artistic.  I  will  send  him  to  Aus- 
tralia, and  feed  him  on  asparagus.  I  will  give  him  an  alpenstock  to  climb  with, 
and  a  bunch  of  asters  for  a  nosegay. 

My  Thought 

The  players  sit  in  a  row  or  circle,  and  one,  having  thought 
of  something  —  of  any  description  whatever  —  asks  them  in 
turn,  "  What  is  my  thought  like  ?  "  Not  having  the  faintest 
idea  what  the  thought  is  they  reply  at  random.  One  may  say, 
"  Like  a  dog  "  ;  another,  "  Like  a  saucepan  " ;  a  third,  "  Like 
a  wet  day  "  ;  a  fourth,  "  Like  a  comic  opera. "  After  collect- 
ing all  the  answers  the  player  announces  what  the  thought 
was,  and  then  goes  along  the  row  again  calling  upon  the 
players  to  explain  why  it  is  like  the  thing  named  by  them. 
The  merit  of  the  game  lies  in  these  explanations.  Thus,  per- 
haps the  thing  thought  of  was  a  concertina.  The  first  player, 
asked  to  show  why  a  concertina  is  like  a  dog,  may  reply, 
"  Because  when  it  is  squeezed  it  howls."  The  next  may  say, 
"  It  is  like  a  heavy  saucepan  because  it  is  held  in  both  hands." 
The  third,  "  It  is  like  a  wet  day  because  one  soon  has  enough 
of  it " ;  and  the  fourth,  "  It  is  like  a  comic  opera  because  it  is 
full  of  tunes." 

P's  and  Q's 

Another  old  game  of  this  kind  is  "P's  and  Q's.'1  The 
players  sit  in  a  circle  and  one  stands  up  and  asks  them  each  a 
question  in  turn.  The  question  takes  this  form,  "  The  King 
of  England  [or  France,  or  Germany,  or  Africa,  or  Russia,  or 


9o 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 


India,  whatever  country  it  may  be]  has  gone  forth  with  all 
his  men.  Tell  me  where  he  has  gone,  but  mind  your  P's  and 
Q's."  The  player  who  is  addressed  must  then  reply,  naming, 
in  whatever  country  is  mentioned,  some  town  that  does  not 
begin  with  P  or  Q  or  with  any  letter  before  P  in  the  alphabet. 
Thus,  if  the  question  refers  to  England,  he  may  say  "  Salis- 
bury "  but  not  "  Bristol,"  "  Eedruth  "  but  not  "  Oxford  " ;  or 
to  France,  "  Toulon  "  but  not  "  Lyons,"  "  Versailles  "  but  not 
"  Dieppe." 

The  game  is  capable  of  improvement  or,  at  least,  of  va- 
riety. For  instance,  instead  of  P's  and  Q's,  the  questioner 
may  say,  "  Mind  your  K's  and  L's,"  or  instead  of  ruling  out  all 
letters  before  P,  all  letters  after  Q  may  be  stopped.  And  one 
need  not  confine  the  game  to  geography,  but  may  adapt  it  to 
include  animals,  or  eatables,  or  books. 

The  Elements 

The  players  sit  in  a  circle,  and  the  game  is  begun  by  one 
of  them  throwing  a  rolled-up  handkerchief  to  another  and  at 
the  same  time  calling  out  the  name  of  one  of  the  four  elements 
—  air,  water,  earth,  or  fire.  If  "  Air  "  is  called,  the  player  to 
whom  the  handkerchief  is  thrown  must  at  once  mention  some 
creature  that  flies.  Having  done  so  she  throws  the  handker- 
chief to  some  one  else,  calling  perhaps  "  Earth,"  whereupon 
that  player  must  mention  an  animal  that  inhabits  the  earth. 
And  so  on.  The  same  animal  must  not  be  mentioned  twice, 
and  when  "  Fire  "  is  called,  the  player  to  whom  the  handker- 
chief is  thrown  must  keep  silence  until  she  throws  it  on  again. 
Sometimes  each  player,  after  throwing  the  handkerchief  and 
calling  the  element,  counts  ten  as  the  limit  of  time  in  which 
the  answer  must  be  given.  If  it  is  longer  in  coming,  or  if 
something  is  mentioned  which  has  been  mentioned  before, 
then  a  forfeit  follows. 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES          91 

Suggestions 

This  is  a  game  which  people  either  dislike  or  like  very 
much.  The  players  sit  round  the  fire  or  table,  and  one  of 
them  begins  by  naming  an  article  of  any  kind  whatever,  such 
as  watering-pot.  The  word  "  watering-pot "  will  immediately 
suggest  something  to  the  next  player  —  say  "  gardener."  He 
therefore  says  "  gardener."  The  next  is  perhaps  reminded  by 
the  word  "  gardener  "  of  a  bunch  of  violets  she  saw  the  gar- 
dener carrying  that  morning,  and  she  therefore  says  "  violets  " ; 
the  next  at  once  recollects  finding  violets  when  she  was  in  the 
country  last  spring,  and  she  therefore  says  "  Vermont."  Thus 
the  game  goes  on  for,  say,  ten  rounds,  by  which  time,  as  we 
have  seen  already,  the  minds  of  the  players  have  been  carried 
miles  away  from  the  original  watering-pot  which  set  them  at 
work.  It  is  now  necessary  to  trace  the  series  of  suggestions 
back  to  watering-pot  again.  This  is  done  by  the  last  player 
mentioning,  not  the  last  thing  that  he  thought  of,  but  the 
thing  which  suggested  that  to  him.  (Thus,  the  player  next  him 
may  have  said,  in  the  last  round,  "an  apple-core,"  which  may 
have  suggested  to  him  "  Tom  Sawyer."  He  would  not,  how- 
ever, when  the  task  of  retracing  begins,  say  "  Tom  Sawyer," 
because  to  repeat  your  own  words  is  too  easy,  but  "  an  apple- 
core  "  and  the  next  player,  going  backward,  in  his  turn  would 
repeat  the  word  which  suggested  "  an  apple-core  "  to  him.) 
The  second  part  of  the  game,  retracing  the  suggestions,  is 
naturally  more  difficult  than  the  first. 

In  this  game  two  things  are  very  important.  One  is,  that 
silence  should  be  maintained  ;  the  other,  that  the  word  you 
give  should  be  suggested  to  you  only  by  the  previous  player's 
remark.  Also  it  is  more  fun  to  be  quite  honest  about  it,  and 
really  say  what  was  first  suggested,  instead  of  making  a 
choice. 


92  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Quotation  Games 

This  is  a  game  which  requires  some  poetical  knowledge. 
The  players  sit  in  a  circle  and  one  begins  by  repeating  a  line 
of  poetry.  The  next  caps  it  by  repeating  whatever  line  comes 
next  to  it  in  the  poem  from  which  it  is  taken.  The  poem 
may  either  be  continued  or  the  game  may  deal  only  in  coup- 
lets or  four-lined  stanzas.  In  another  quotation  game  the  first 
player  repeats  a  line  of  poetry  and  the  next  follows  it  with 
another  line  of  poetry  which  begins  with  the  last  letter  of  the 
previous  quotation.  Thus,  if  the  first  player  says  — 

It  was  the  schooner  Hesperus 
That  sailed  the  wintry  sea, 

the  next  might  cap  it  with  — 

A  man's  a  man  for  a*  that, 

and  the  next  with  — 

The  quality  of  mercy  is  not  strained. 

Two  Rhyming  Games 

Rhyming  games  require  more  taxing  of  brains  than  most 
players  care  for.  The  ordinary  rhyming  game,  without  using 
paper,  is  for  one  player  to  make  a  remark  in  an  easy  metre, 
and  for  the  next  to  add  a  line  completing  the  couplet.  Thus 
in  one  game  that  was  played  one  player  said  — 

It  is  a  sin  to  steal  a  pin, 
Mnch  more  to  steal  an  apple. 

And  the  next  finished  it  by  adding  — 

And  people  who  are  tempted  to, 
With  Satan  ought  to  grapple. 

But  this  was  showing  more  skill  than  there  is  real  need  for. 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES         93 

An  easier  rhyming  game  is  that  in  which  the  rhyme  has 
to  come  at  the  beginning  of  the  line.  The  players  are  seated 
in  a  circle  and  one  begins  by  asking  the  next  a  question  of 
any  nature  whatever,  or  by  making  any  casual  remark,  the 
first  word  of  the  answer  to  which  must  rhyme  with  the  last 
word  of  the  question.  The  game  is  then  started,  each  player 
in  turn  adding  a  remark  to  that  made  by  the  one  before  him, 
always  observing  the  rhyming  rule.  Thus,  the  original  ques- 
tion may  be,  "  Do  you  like  mince  pies  f  "  The  next  player 
may  reply,  "  Wise  people  always  do."  The  next,  "  You,  I 
suppose,  agree  with  that  f  "  The  next,  "  Flat  you  may  knock 
me  if  I  don't"  The  next,  "  Worft  you  change  the  subject, 
-please  f  "  And  the  next :  "  £as-i\y  ;  let 's  talk  of  books." 

Telling  Stories 

This  is  another  of  those  fireside  games  that  need  more 
readiness  of  mind  than  many  persons  think  a  game  should  ask 
for.  The  first  player  begins  an  original  story,  stopping  im- 
mediately (even  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence)  when  the  player 
ivho  is  appointed  time-keeper  says  "  Next."  The  next  player 
takes  it  up ;  and  so  forth  until  the  end  comes,  either  at  the 
end  of  the  first  round  or  whatever  round  seems  best. 

Another  way  is  for  each  player  to  contribute  only  a  single 
word  ;  but  this  is  rarely  successful,  because  every  one  is  not  at 
the  same  pitch  of  attention.  Except  on  the  part  of  the  person 
who  is  narrating  there  ought  to  be  absolute  silence. 

Clumps 

The  com  pan  y>  according  to  the  number  of  persons,  divides 
up  into  two  or  three  or  even  four  groups,  or  clumps,  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  room,  seated  closely  in  circles.  As  many 
players  as  there  are  clumps  then  go  out  and  decide  on  some 
extremely  out-of-the-way  thing  which  the  clumps  have  to 
guess.  In  one  game,  for  example,  the  mine  was  thought  of 


94  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

from  which  the  iron  was  taken  to  lay  the  first  railroad  rails 
in  America.  That  is  the  kind  of  far-fetched  and  ingenious 
thing.  When  it  is  decided  upon,  the  players  return  to  the 
room  and  take  their  places,  one  in  the  midst  of  each  clump. 
Questions  are  then  put  to  them  the  answers  to  which  must  be 
either  "  Yes  "  or  "  No,"  and  the  clump  that  discovers  the  thing 
first  is  the  winner. 

Other  Yes  and  No  Games 

The  same  game  can  be  played  without  such  keen  rivalry, 
one  player  sitting  in  the  midst  of  a  great  circle  and  answering 
questions  in  turn.  There  is  also  a  game  called  "  Man  and 
Object,"  in  which  two  players  go  out  and  decide  upon  a  man 
(or  woman)  and  something  inanimate  or  not  human  with 
which  he  is  associated  or  which  he  is  known  to  have  used, 
such  as  "  Washington  and  his  hatchet,"  "  Whittington  and  his 
cat,"  "  A  druid  and  his  mistletoe-knife."  They  then  return  and 
each  player  asks  them  each  a  question  in  turn  until  the  prob- 
lem is  solved. 

The  same  game  is  sometimes  turned  inside  out,  the  players 
that  remain  in  the  room  deciding  upon  some  one  whom  the 
player  that  has  gone  out  has  to  personate  and  discover.  In 
this  case  it  is  he  who  puts  the  questions.  As  he  is  supposed 
for  the  time  being  actually  to  be  the  thing  thought  of,  he 
ought  to  frame  his  questions  accordingly  :  "  Am  I  living  ?  " 
"  Have  I  been  dead  long  ?  "  "  Am  I  a  man  ?  "  and  so  forth. 

My  Right-Hand  Neighbor 

This  is  a  catch  game  and  useless  except  when  one  of  the 
company  knows  nothing  about  it.  That  player  is  sent  out  of 
the  room,  and  after  a  due  interval  is  called  in  again  and  told 
to  guess  what  the  other  players  have  thought  of.  He  may 
ask  any  questions  he  pleases  that  can  be  answered  by  "  Yes  " 
or  "  No."  The  thing  thought  of  is  each  player's  right-hand 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES          95 

neighbor,  who  is  of  course  so  different  in  every  case  as  to  lead 
in  time  to  the  total  bewilderment  of  the  guesser. 

How,  When,  and  Where 

One  player  leaves  the  room,  while  the  others  decide  on 
some  word,  the  name  of  a  thing  for  choice  (such  as  tale,  tail), 
which  has  one  pronunciation  but  two  or  three  different  mean- 
ings and  perhaps  spellings.  They  then  sit  in  a  circle  or  line 
and  the  other  player  is  called  in,  his  object  being,  by  means 
of  questions  put  in  turn  to  each  player,  to  discover  what  the 
word  is.  His  questions  must  take  the  form,  "  How  do  you 
like  it  ?  "  "  When  do  you  like  it  ?  "  and  "  Where  do  you  like 
it  ?  "  Let  us  suppose  that  "  tale  "  is  the  word  thought  of. 
"  How  do  you  like  it  ?  "  he  will  ask  the  first  of  the  circle. 
The  answer  may  be,  "  I  like  it  amusing  "  (tale).  "  How  do 
you  like  it  ?  "  he  may  ask  the  next.  "  I  like  it  active  "  (tail). 
To  the  next,  "When  do  you  like  it?"  "  I  like  it  at  night" 
(tale).  To  the  next,  "  Where  do  you  like  it  ? "  "  At  the 
end  "  (tail).  To  the  next,  "  Where  do  you  like  it  ?  "  "  In  an 
armchair  "  (tale).  And  so  on  until  he  guesses  the  word. 

Coffee-Pot 

A  similar  game  is  called  "  Coffee-Pot "  or  "  Tea-Pot." 
In  this  case  also  the  company  think  of  a  word  with  more  than 
one  meaning,  but  instead  of  answering  questions  about  it  they 
make  a  pretense  of  introducing  it  into  their  answers  by  put- 
ting the  word  "  coffee-pot "  in  its  place.  As  the  player  who 
is  guessing  is  at  liberty  to  put  any  kind  of  question  he  likes 
it  is  well  to  choose  a  word  that  will  go  easily  into  ordinary 
conversation.  Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  the  word  is 
rain,  reign,  rein.  The  questions  and  answers  may  run  some- 
thing like  this  :  —  "  Are  you  feeling  pretty  well  to-day  ?  " 
"I  always  feel  well  when  there  is  no  coffee-pot "  (rain). 
"Have  you  been  reading  anything  interesting  lately?" 


96  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  V 

"  Yes,  a  very  interesting  bock  on  the  present  coffee-pot " 
(reign).  "  I  hope  your  toothache  is  better."  "  Thank  you,  I 
hope  its  coffee-pot  will  soon  be  over  "  (reign).  "  Did  you  walk 
here  this  evening  ?  "  "  No  ;  we  came  with  the  assistance  of 
the  coffee-pot  "  (rein).  The  guesser  is  allowed  to  make  three 
guesses  aloud,  but  after  that  he  must  meditate  on  the  word  in 
silence  or  put  questions  to  test  his  theories.  If  the  word  is  a 
verb  and  a  past  tense  or  present  tense  has  to  be  used  in  an 
answer,  the  player  says  "  coffee-potted  "  or  "  coffee-potting." 

Throwing  Light 

This  is  much  like  "  How,  When,  and  Where,"  except  that 
instead  of  asking  questions  the  player,  or  players,  that  went 
out  sit  still  and  listen  to  the  others  talking  to  each  other  con- 
cerning the  selected  word's  various  meanings.  Thus,  if  it  is 
"  Spring,"  the  first  may  remark,  "  It  makes  our  drives  so  much 
more  comfortable  " ;  the  next,  "  I  am  always  happier  then  than 
at  any  other  time " ;  the  next,  "  To  drink  there  is  to  know 
what  drinking  really  is  " ;  and  so  on. 

Animal,  Vegetable,  and  Mineral. 

This  is  also  a  similar  game  to  "  How,  When,  and  Where," 
except  that  the  player  who  goes  out  of  the  room  has,  on  his 
return,  to  guess  something  belonging  to  one  of  these  three 
groups.  His  first  question  therefore  is,  "  Is  it  animal  ?  "  Per- 
haps it  is  not.  "  Is  it  vegetable  ?  "  "  No."  He  knows  then 
that  it  is  mineral,  and  after  that  to  find  out  what  it  is  is  only 
a  matter  of  time. 

Proverbs 

One  or  two  players  go  out.  The  others  sit  in  line  and 
choose  a  proverb  having  as  many  words  as  there  are  players. 
Thus,  if  there  were  eight  players,  "  They  love  too  much  who 
die  for  love  "  would  do ;  or  if  more  than  eight,  two  short  prov- 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES         97 

erbs  might  be  chosen.  Each  player  having  made  certain  what 
his  word  is,  the  others  are  called  in.  It  is  their  duty  to  find 
out  what  proverb  has  been  fixed  upon,  and  the  means  of  doing 
so  is  to  ask  each  player  in  turn  a  question  on  any  subject  what- 
ever, the  answer  to  which  must  contain  that  player's  word  in 
the  proverb.  If  the  first  round  of  questions  does  not  reveal 
'he  proverb,  they  go  round  again  and  again. 

Shouting  Proverbs 

In  this  game,  instead  of  answering  questions  one  by  one, 
when  the  guesser  or  guessers  come  in  the  players  at  a  given 
signal  shout  the  words  which  belong  to  them  at  the  top  of 
their  voice  and  all  together.  The  guessers  have  to  separate 
the  proverb  from  the  din. 

Acting  Proverbs 

This  is  a  very  simple  acting  game.  The  players  should  di- 
vide themselves  into  actors  and  audience.  The  actors  decide 
upon  a  proverb,  and  in  silence  represent  it  to  the  audience  as 
dramatically  as  possible.  Such  proverbs  as  "  Too  many  cooks 
spoil  the  broth,"  and  "A  bad  workman  quarrels  with  his 
tools,"  would  be  very  easy  —  almost  too  easy  if  any  stress  is 
laid  upon  guessing.  But,  of  course,  although  the  guessing  is 
understood  to  be  part  of  the  fun,  the  acting  is  the  thing. 

Acting  Initials 

Two  players  go  out.  The  others  choose  the  name  of  a 
well-known  person,  public  or  private,  the  letters  of  whose 
name  are  the  same  in  number  as  the  players  left  in  the  room. 
Thus,  supposing  there  are  seven  persons  in  the  room,  the  name 
might  be  Dickens.  The  letters  are  then  distributed ;  each 
player,  as  soon  as  he  knows  which  letter  is  his,  selecting  some 
well-known  living  or  historical  character  beginning  with  the 
same  letter,  whom  he  has  to  describe  or  personate.  To  per 


98  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

senate  is  more  fun  than  to  describe.     The  players  seat  them 
selves  in  the  right  order  to  spell  the  name,  and  the  other  two 
are  called  in.     When  they  are  ready  the  first  player,  D,  is 
called  on  to  describe  or  impersonate  his  letter ;  and  so  on  in 
the  right  order. 

Acting  Verbs,  or  Dumb  Crambo 

In  this  game  the  company  divides  into  two.  One  half 
goes  out,  and  the  one  that  remains  decides  upon  a  verb  which 
the  others  shall  act  in  dumb  show.  A  messenger  is  then 
despatched  to  tell  the  actors  what  the  chosen  word  rhymes  to. 
Thus,  if  "  weigh "  were  the  verb  fixed  upon,  the  messenger 
might  announce  that  it  rhymes  to  "day."  It  is  then  well  for 
the  actors  to  go  through  the  alphabet  for  verbs  —  bay,  bray, 
lay,  neigh,  pay,  prey,  pray,  play,  stay,  say  ;  and  act  them  in 
order.  When  the  word  is  wrong  the  spectators  hiss,  but  when 
right  they  clap.  If  the  word  chosen  has  two  syllables,  as 
"  obey,"  notice  ought  to  be  given. 

Guessing  Employments 

A  very  simple  game.  One  player  goes  out.  The  others 
decide  on  some  workman  to  represent,  each  pretending  to  do 
some  different  task  belonging  to  his  employment.  Thus,  if 
they  choose  a  carpenter,  one  will  plane,  one  will  saw,  one  will 
hammer,  one  will  chisel,  and  so  on.  Their  occupation  has 
then  to  be  guessed.  It  is  perhaps  more  interesting  if  each 
player  chooses  a  separate  trade. 

Stool  of  Repentance 

One  player  goes  out.  The  others  then  say  in  turn  some- 
thing personal  about  him  —  such  as,  "  He  has  a  pleasant  voice  "  ; 
"  His  eye  is  piercing  "  ;  "  He  would  look  better  if  he  wore  a 
lower  collar."  Those  remarks  are  written  down  by  one  of  the 
party,  and  the  player  is  called  in  and  placed  on  a  chair  in  the 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES          99 

middle.  The  recorder  then  reads  the  remarks  that  he  has  col- 
lected, and  the  player  in  the  middle  has  to  name  the  persons 
who  made  them. 

Eyes 

A  sheet,  or  a  screen  made  of  newspapers,  is  hung  up,  and 
two  holes,  a  little  larger  than  eyes  and  the  same  distance  apart, 
are  made  in  it.  Half  the  players  retire  to  one  side  of  it,  and 
half  stay  on  the  other.  They  then  look  through  the  holes  in 
turn,  while  those  on  the  opposite  side  try  to  name  the  owner 
of  the  eyes.  The  game  sounds  tame,  but  the  difficulty  of  rec- 
ognition and  the  false  guesses  made  soon  lead  to  laughter. 

Making  Obeisance 

This  is  a  trick.  Those  in  the  company  who  have  never 
played  the  game  go  out  of  the  room.  One  of  the  inside  play- 
ers, who  is  to  represent  the  potentate,  then  mounts  a  chair  and 
is  covered  with  a  sheet  which  reaches  to  the  ground.  At  the 
point  where  it  touches  a  shoe  is  placed,  the  toe  of  which  is  just 
visible.  In  the  potentate's  hand  is  a  sponge  full  of  water. 
One  of  the  players  outside  is  then  invited  in ;  he  is  told  to 
kneel  down  and  kiss  the  toe ;  the  potentate  on  the  chair  leans 
forward  a  little  to  bring  his  sponge  immediately  over  the  sub- 
ject's head ;  and  a  shower-bath  follows.  Then  another  subject 
is  admitted,  but  after  a  while  there, is  enough  water  on  the 
floor  to  make  them  suspicious. 

Mesmerism 

Another  trick.  The  players  who  are  to  be  mesmerized  — 
among  them  being  the  one  or  two  who  do  not  know  the  game 
—  stand  in  a  row,  each  holding  a  dinner-plate  in  the  left  hand. 
The  mesmerizer,  who  also  has  a  dinner-plate,  faces  them,  and 
impresses  on  them  very  seriously  the  importance,  if  they  really 
want  to  be  mesmerized,  of  doing  exactly  what  he  does  and  not 


ioo  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ^ 

moving  their  eyes  from  him  in  any  direction.  He  then  holds 
the  plate  flat,  rubs  the  first  finger  of  his  right  hand  on  the 
bottom  of  it,  and  makes  an  invisible  cross  on  his  forehead,  on 
each  cheek,  and  on  the  tip  of  his  nose.  That  is  all.  The  trick 
lies  in  the  fact  that  the  plates  of  the  players  who  do  not  know 
the  game  have  been  held  in  the  flame  of  a  candle  until  they 
are  well  blacked.  This  means  that  when  the  mesmerism  is 
over  they  each  have  black  marks  on  their  faces,  and  know 
nothing  about  it  until  they  are  led  to  a  looking-glass. 

Thought-Reading  Tricks 

In  all  thought-reading  games  it  is  best  that  only  the  two 
performers  should  know  the  secret.  Of  these  two,  one  goes 
out  of  the  room  and  the  other  stays  in,  after  having  first  ar- 
ranged on  the  particular  trick  which  will  be  used.  Perhaps 
the  company  will  then  be  asked  to  settle  on  a  trade.  Let  us 
say  that  they  decide  on  a  chemist.  The  other  player  is  then 
called  in,  and  his  companion  puts  questions  to  him  in  this 
way :  —  "  You  have  to  name  the  trade  which  we  have  thought 
of."  Is  it  a  grocer?"  "No."  "Is  it  a  draper?"  "No." 
"  Is  it  a  goldsmith  ?  "  "  No. "  "  Is  it  a  fruiterer  ?  "  "  No." 
"Is  it  a  lawyer?"  "No."  "  Is  it  a  chemist  ?"  "Yes."  This 
will  look  rather  mysterious  to  some  of  the  company  ;  but  the 
thing  is  really  simple  enough.  The  questioner  merely  ar- 
ranged with  his  companion  that  the  trade  thought  of  should 
follow  a  profession. 

Perhaps  on  the  next  occasion  the  company  will  be  asked  to 
think  of  an  article  in  the  room.  Let  us  say  that  they  fix  on 
the  clock.  The  questions  will  then  run  something  like  this  : 
—  "  You  have  to  name  the  article  in  this  room  which  has  been 
thought  of.  Is  it  the  piano  ?  "  "  No."  "  Is  it  the  curtain- 
rod  ?  "  "  No."  «  Is  it  the  carpet  ?  "  "  No."  "  Is  it  the  fire- 
place?" "No."  "Is  it  the  sideboard?"  "No."  "Is  it 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES         101 

the  armchair  ?  "  "  No."  "  Is  it  the  clock  ? r)  "<  Yes."  This 
again  is  bewildering ;  but  again  the  trick  is  very  simple,  the 
questioner  having  arranged  that  the  article  shall  follow  some- 
thing that  has  four  legs. 

A  third  way  is  for  an  article  to  be  touched  and  for  the 
thought-reader  to  be  asked  to  name  it.  "  Is  it  this  ?  "  "  Is 
it  this  ?  "  "  Is  it  this  ?  "  is  asked  of  one  thing  after  another, 
the  answer  always  being  "  No."  "  Is  it  that  ?  "  "  Yes." 
The  secret  is  that  the  article  touched  is  always  signified  by 
"  Is  it  that  ? "  But  in  this  case,  and  in  that  of  the  others 
already  described,  the  effect  of  mystification  can  be  increased 
by  arranging  beforehand  that  the  article  in  question  shall  not 
follow  the  key  phrase  immediately,  but,  say,  two  questions 
later. 

A  fourth  way  is  for  the  questioner  to  begin  each  question 
in  due  order  with  a  letter  of  the  French  word  for  the  article 
touched.  Thus,  if  it  were  the  bell,  he  might  say,  "  <7ome  now, 
was  it  the  table  ?  "  "  Zook,  was  it  the  armchair  ?  "  "  Or 
the  piano  ?  "  "  (7ome  now,  was  it  this  book  ?  "  "  How  about 
this  hearth-rug  ?  "  "  JSndeavor  to  be  quick,  please.  Was  it 
the  clock  ?  "  By  this  time  "  Cloche  "  has  been  spelled,  so 
that  the  next  question  is,  "  Was  it  the  bell  ?  "  "  Yes." 

In  another  form  of  "  Thought-reading  "  the  two  players 
who  know  the  secret  remain  in  the  room  long  enough  for  the 
trick  to  be  made  sure.  One  stands  in  a  corner  and  the  other 
calls  loudly,  "  Ebenezer,  do  you  hear  ? "  (Ebenezer  is  the 
usual  name,  but  a  more  attractive  one  would  do.)  Ebenezer 
says  nothing,  but  listens  attentively  to  hear  who  among  the 
company  speaks  first  The  other  player  repeats  the  question 
and  still  there  is  no  answer.  Soon  after  that  some  one  will 
perhaps  make  a  remark,  and  then  Ebenezer,  having  got  what 
he  was  waiting  for,  says,  "  Yes,  I  hear."  "  Then  leave  the 
room,"  says  the  other  player,  and  Ebenezer  goes  out.  The 


102  WttAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

other  player  'then  makes  a  great  show  of  choosing  some  one 
to  touch,  but  ends  by  touching  the  person  who  spoke  first 
after  the  game  began.  This  done,  Ebenezer  is  called  in  to  say 
who  was  touched,  and  every  one  is  puzzled  by  his  knowledge. 

To  Guess  Any  Number  Thought  of 
With  these  thought-reading  tricks  may  be  put  one  or  two 
arithmetical  puzzles.  Here  is  a  way  to  find  out  the  number 
that  a  person  has  thought  of.  Tell  him  to  think  of  any  num- 
ber, odd  or  even.  (Let  us  suppose  that  bethinks  of  7.)  Then 
tell  him  to  double  it  (14),  add  6  to  it  (20),  halve  it  (10),  and 
multiply  it  by  4  (40).  Then  ask  him  how  many  that  makes. 
He  will  say  40.  You  divide  this  in  your  mind  by  2  (20), 
subtract  6  (14),  divide  by  2  again  (7),  and  astonish  him  by 
saying  that  the  number  of  which  he  thought  was  7. 

To  Guess  Any  Even  Number  Thought  of 
In  this  case  you  insist  on  the  number  chosen  being  an 
even  number.  Let  us  suppose  it  is  8.  Tell  him  to  multiply 
by  3  (24),  halve  it  (12),  multiply  by  3  again  (36),  and  then  to 
tell  you  how  many  times  9  will  go  into  the  result.  He  will 
say  4.  Double  this  in  your  mind  and  tell  him  that  he  thought 
of  8. 

To  Guess  the  Result  of  a  Sum 

Another  trick.  Tell  the  person  to  think  of  a  number,  to 
double  it,  add  6  to  it,  halve  it  and  take  away  the  number  first 
thought  of.  When  this  has  been  done  you  tell  him  that  3 
remains.  If  these  directions  are  followed  3  must  always 
remain.  Let  us  take  7  and  1  as  examples.  Thus  7  doubled  is 
14 ;  add  6  and  it  is  20  ;  halved,  it  is  10 ;  and  if  the  number 
first  thought  of — 7 — is  subtracted,  3  remains.  Again,  1 
doubled  is  2 ;  6  added  makes  8 ;  8  halved  is  4,  and  1  from  4 
leaves  3. 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES        103 

A  more  bewildering  puzzle  is  this.  Tell  as  many  persons 
as  like  to,  to  think  of  some  number  less  than  1,000,  in  which 
the  last  figure  is  smaller  than  the  first.  Thus  998  might  be 
thought  of,  but  not  999,  and  not  347.  The  amount  being 
chosen  and  written  down,  you  tell  each  person  to  reverse  the 
digits ;  so  that  the  units  come  under  the  hundreds,  the  tens 
under  the  tens,  and  the  hundreds  under  the  units.  Then  tell 
them  to  subtract,  to  reverse  again,  and  add ;  remarking  to 
each  one  that  you  know  what  the  answer  will  be.  It  will 
always  be  1089.  Let  us  suppose  that  three  players  choose 
numbers,  one  being  998,  one  500,  and  one  321.  Fach  sets 
them  on  paper,  reverses  the  figures,  and  subtracts.  Thus :  — 

998  500  321 

005  123 


099  495  198 

The  figures  are  then  reversed  and  added.     Thus :  — 

099        495        198 
990        594        891 

1089        1089        1089 

Guessing  Competitions 

Guessing  competitions,  which  are  of  American  invention, 
can  be  an  interesting  change  from  ordinary  games.  In  some 
the  company  are  all  asked  to  contribute,  as  in  "  Book  Teas," 
where  a  punning  symbolic  title  of  a  book  is  worn  by  each 
guest,  and  a  prize  is  given  to  the  person  who  guesses  most, 
and  to  the  person  whose  title  is  considered  the  best.  Thus,  a 
person  wearing  a  card  having  the  letter  R  represented  Mid- 
dlemarch,  and  a  person  with  catkins  in  his  buttonhole,  RazeWs 
Annual.  But  simpler  devices  are  just  as  interesting. 

In  other  guessing  competitions  the  preparations  are  the 


104  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

affair  of  the  household  which  gives  the  party.  It  is  with 
these  that  we  are  concerned  here.  Giving  prizes  certainly 
adds  to  the  interest  of  them. 

Guessing  Quantities 

Several  articles  of  number  are  placed  on  a  table,  say  a 
box  of  matches,  a  bag  of  beans,  a  reel  of  cotton  or  ball  of 
string,  a  large  stone,  a  stick,  a  photograph,  and  various  coins 
with  the  date  side  turned  down.  Each  of  the  company  is 
provided  with  a  card  on  which  these  articles  are  written,  and 
the  object  is  to  guess  as  nearly  as  possible  something  about 
each ;  for  instance,  how  many  matches  there  are  in  the  box, 
how  many  beans  in  the  bag,  the  length  of  the  string,  the 
weight  of  the  stone,  the  length  of  the  stick,  the  age  of  the 
person  in  the  photograph,  and  the  date  of  each  coin.  The 
right  answers  are,  of  course,  ascertained  beforehand  and  writ- 
ten on  a  card  in  the  hostess's  possession. 

Observation 

The  real  name  of  this  game  may  be  something  else,  but 
"  Observation  "  explains  it.  A  small  table  is  covered  with  a 
variety  of  articles,  to  the  extent  of  some  twenty  or  thirty.  It 
is  then  covered  with  a  cloth  and  placed  in  the  middle  of  the 
room.  The  players  stand  round  it  and  the  cloth  is  removed 
for  a  minute  (or  longer).  During  that  time  the  aim  of  each 
player  is  to  note  and  remember  as  many  of  the  things  as  pos- 
sible. The  cloth  is  then  put  on  again  and  the  players  have 
five  minutes  in  which  to  write  the  fullest  list  they  can  of  the 
objects  seen. 

Scents 

A  more  puzzling  competition  is  to  place  a  row  of  large 
bottles  on  the  table,  all  numbered,  at  the  bottom  of  each  of 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES        105 

which  is  a  small  amount  of  liquid  bearing  a  noticeable  scent. 
Some  may  be  toilet  scents,  and  others  medicines  or  essences 
used  in  cooking.  A  card  numbered  according  to  the  bottles 
is  given  to  each  player,  and  the  game  is  to  guess  as  many  of 
the  scents  as  possible. 

The  Topsy-Turvy  Concert 

The  performers  in  this  concert,  who  should  be  of  nearly  the 
same  size,  take  their  places  behind  a  sheet  stretched  across  the 
room  at  the  height  of  their  chins.  They  then  put  stockings 
on  their  arms  and  boots  on  their  hands  (or  this  may  be  done 
before  they  come  into  the  room),  and  stand  looking  over  the 
sheet  at  the  company,  with  their  hands  and  arms  carefully 
hidden.  The  concert  begins  by  the  singing  of  the  first  verse 
of  a  song.  Immediately  the  verse  is  finished,  the  singers, 
stooping  down  so  that  their  heads  disappear  from  view,  thrust 
up  their  arms  and  wave  them  about,  the  effect  being  that  of 
a  row  of  people  standing  on  their  heads.  The  chorus  is  thus 
sung.  Then  they  pull  down  their  arms  and  put  up  their  heads 
again  and  sing  the  next  verse. 

The  Dancing  Dwarf 

This  is  a  very  amusing  illusion  and  easy  to  arrange.  All 
the  players  but  two  are  sent  out  of  the  room  and  these  stand 
behind  a  table.  One  stands  close  to  the  table,  his  arms  in 
front  of  him  so  that  the  fingers  rest  on  the  table.  Boots,  or 
stockings  and  shoes,  are  put  on  their  arms  and  a  long  dark 
cloak  is  thrown  over  the  shoulders  of  the  first  player  cover- 
ing the  one  behind  him.  The  one  behind  furnishes  the  arms 
by  thrusting  his  out  in  front.  The  little  feet  resting  on  the 
table  show  from  the  folds  of  the  cloak  and  give  the  appear- 
ance of  a  dwarf.  The  players  are  then  called  back  and  the 
dwarf,  whose  face  should  be  disguised,  performs  any  feat  that 


io6  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

they  ask  for  —  he  sings  a  song,  or  makes  a  speech  or  prophe- 
sies the  future  of  any  one  who  desires  it,  always  ending  with 
a  wild  dance  performed  by  the  arms  and  hands  of  the  other 


THE  DANCING  DWARF 

person.  The  light  should  be  turned  down  somewhat  and  the 
audience  should  be  straight  in  front  of  the  table  to  keep  the 
illusion  at  its  best. 

Charades 

"  Charades  "  can  be  written  in  advance  and  carefully  re- 
hearsed, but  in  this  book  we  are  concerned  more  nearly  with 
those  that  are  arranged  a  few  minutes  (the  fewer  the  better) 
before  they  are  performed.  As  a  rule  a  word  of  two  or 
three  syllables  is  chosen,  the  syllables  are  first  acted,  then  the 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES        107 

whole  word,  and  then  the  audience  guess  what  it  was.  Some- 
times the  word  is  brought  in,  both  in  its  complete  form  and 
in  its  syllables  ;  and  sometimes  —  and  this  is  perhaps  the  bet- 
ter way  —  it  is  acted.  Thus,  if  the  word  were  "  Treason," 
one  way  would  be  to  make  the  acts  themselves  anything  that 
occurred  to  you,  merely  saying  "  Tree  "  with  some  distinct- 
ness in  the  first ;  "  Son  "  or  "  Sun "  in  the  second ;  and 
"  Treason  "  in  the  third.  The  other  and  more  interesting  way 
would  be  to  make  the  first  act  relate  to  tree-felling  or  tree- 
planting,  or,  say,  a  performance  by  Mr.  Tree ;  the  second  to 
a  son  or  the  sun  ;  and  the  third  to  some  treasonable  situation, 
such  as,  for  example,  the  Gunpowder  Plot.  On  account  of 
the  time  which  is  occupied  in  preparing  and  acting  it  is  better 
to  choose  two-syllabled  words  —  which,  with  the  whole  world, 
make  three  scenes — than  three-  or  four-syllabled  ones;  al- 
though there  are  certain  four-syllabled  words  which  split 
naturally  into  two  halves  of  two  syllables  each.  "Parsi- 
mony," for  example,  could  be  performed :  Parsee,  money, 
parsimony.  As  a  general  rule  the  charades  that  are  arranged 
during  the  evening  are  better  performed  in  dumb  show,  with 
plenty  of  action,  than  with  any  talking  at  all.  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances gestures  are  so  much  easier  than  words  and  not 
any  less  amusing. 

Dumb  Performances 

Yery  good  fun  can  be  had  also  from  impromptu  panto- 
mimes, where  the  performers  enact  some  story  which  every 
one  knows,  such  as  "  Aladdin  "  or  "  Ked  Hiding  Hood  "  or 
"  Cinderella  " ;  or  a  scene  from  history  proper,  or  from  village 
or  family  history.  The  contrast  between  the  splendor  of 
Cinderella's  carriage  in  the  story  and  the  old  perambulator 
which  has  to  serve  in  the  charade  only  adds  to  the  fun. 
Every  one,  being  dumb,  acts  to  the  utmost.  It  is  sometimes 


io8  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

more  amusing  if  all  the  parts  are  turned  upside  down  and  a 
boy  plays  the  heroine  and  a  girl  the  hero.  Where  the  scene 
is  too  tremendous  for  any  representation  to  be  given,  it  is  best 
to  meet  the  case  frankly  and  use,  as  they  did  in  Shakespeare's 
day,  written  labels,  such  as  "  This  is  Aladdin's  Palace." 

Dressing  Up 

It  is,  of  course,  much  more  fun  to  dress  up ;  but  dressing 
up  is  not  so  important  that  a  charade  is  spoiled  without  it. 
If,  on  the  day  of  your  party,  you  know  that  charades  will  play 
a  part  in  it,  it  is  wise  to  put  in  a  convenient  room  a  number 
of  things  suitable  to  dress  up  in.  Then  at  the  last  minute 
there  need  be  no  furious  running  up-stairs  to  pull  things  out 
of  closets  and  boxes,  and  the  unpleasantness  will  be 
avoided  which  sometimes  follows  when  you  have  taken  some- 
body's best  clothes  for  a  rather  violent  performance. 

Almost  the  best  garment  there  is  for  dressing-up  purposes 
is  a  fur  coat.  While  priceless  for  Red  Eiding  Hood's  wolf  it 
will  make  also  most  of  the  other  animals  in  the  Zoo.  A  sol- 
dier's uniform  is  a  great  possession,  and  a  real  policeman's 
helmet  has  made  the  success  of  many  charades.  Most  kinds 
of  hat  can,  however,  easily  be  made  on  the  morning  of  a  party 
out  of  brown  paper.  Epaulettes  and  cockades  are  also  easily 
made  of  the  same  material.  Powder  or  flour  for  white  hair, 
some  corks  for  moustaches  and  beards  (you  hold  them  in  the 
candle  for  a  minute  and  wait  till  they  are  cool  enough  to 
use),  and  a  packet  of  safety-pins  should  be  in  handy  places. 
Cherry  tooth-paste  makes  serviceable  rouge. 

Tableaux  Vivants 

"  Tableaux  Vivants  "  are  a  change  from  acting,  but  they 
need,  if  done  at  all  well,  a  great  deal  ^f  preparation  and  re- 
hearsal, and  are  therefore  perhaps  beM  T  left  to  older  people. 


GUESSING,  AND  ACTING  GAMES        109 

But  quickly-arranged  groups  representing  (not  too  seriously) 
scenes  in  American  history  might  be  good  fun. 

Remarks  on  Acting 

The  drawback  to  all  charades  and  dressing  up  at  a  party 
is  that  they  make  away  with  so  much  valuable  time  of  the 
players  who  are  out  of  the  room,  and  unsettle  those  who  are 
left  in.  It  should  be  the  first  duty  of  every  one  taking  part 
in  acting  at  parties  to  decide  quickly  on  the  subject  or  word, 
and  to  perform  it  quickly.  Many  and  many  a  party  has  been 
spoiled  by  the  slowness  of  the  actors  outside.  Historical  or 
family  scenes  with  no  dressing  up  and  some  action  are  per- 
haps better  than  much  dressing  up  and  absolute  stillness.  In 
"Canute  and  the  Waves,"  for  example,  it  is  better  that  the  in- 
coming tide  should  be  represented  by  a  boy  rolling  slowly 
over  the  carpet  than  that  there  should  be  nothing  but  fixed 
eyes  and  stern  faces. 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES 

THIS  is  a  chapter  written  to  meet  the  needs  of 
eral  children  shut  up  together  in  bad  weather.     The 
chapter  on  "  Indoor  Occupation  and  Things  to  Make '' 
gives  suggestions  for  a  single  child,  but  here  are  a  few  sug- 
gestions for  several  occupations  for  a  group  of  children,  which 
do  not  mean  the  destruction  of  the  furniture. 

Any  one  of  the  games  given  in  the  chapter  "  In  the 
Train  "  is  suitable  for  rainy  days. 

There  are  of  course  many  games  treated  elsewhere  in 
this  book  which  can  be  played  on  rainy  days  indoors.  Many 
of  the  parlor  and  outdoor  games  are  equally  suitable  for  in- 
doors. All  the  card  games  and  back-gammon,  checkers,  etc., 
are  invaluable  resorts  in  case  of  a  long  dreary  day,  but  there 
are  a  few  other  recreations  which,  in  some  families  are  saved 
for  such  occasions. 

Bean-Bags 

One  of  these  is  the  old  fashioned  game  of  bean-bag.  One 
rainy  morning  can  be  spent  in  making  the  outfit.  The  girls 
can  be  occupied  in  making  the  cloth  bags,  from  six  to  ten 
inches  square,  partly  filled  with  beans :  and  the  boys  in  mak- 
ing the  board  which  is  shown  in  the  illustration. 

It  should  be  about  three  feet  square  of  any  sort  of  boards 
and  propped  up  at  one  side  so  that  it  forms  an  inclined  plane. 
Five  holes  are  cut  in  it,  about  seven  inches  square,  all  but  the 
centre  one  which  is  only  five  inches  square.  The  players  stand 
off  from  six  to  twelve  feet  according  as  their  skill  increases 
with  practice  and  try  to  throw  the  bags  through  the  holes. 
There  are  various  rules  for  playing  the  game  which  you  can 

"3 


1 14  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

arrange  to  suit  yourself,  or  to  make  a  change.  One  way  is 
have  the  bags  in  sets  of  six,  each  six  being  of  one  color,  dif- 
ferent from  the  others.  The  players  stand  in  a  line  and  all 
throw  at  once,  trying  to  get  their  six  bags  in  the  holes  as  soon 


BEAN-BAG  BOARD 

as  possible.  When  they  have  thrown  their  bags  they  rush  up 
to  the  board,  gather  up  those  which  have  gone  wild  and  run 
back  to  the  firing  line.  The  one  who  gets  his  six  bags  in  first 
wins  the  game.  A  bag  thrown  through  the  small  centre  hole 
counts  as  two. 

Another  way  to  play  it  is  to  throw  in  turn,  each  throw, 
ing  all  his  six  bags  one  after  another.  The  one  who  gets  most 
in  is  the  winner. 

Ring- Toss 

Ring-toss  is  another  game  in  which  skill  can  be  acquired 
only  through  practice  and  it  is  very  good  for  rainy-days.  It 
is  really  indoor  quoits,  and  is  a  favorite  game  for  shipboard. 
Any  one  with  a  little  patience  and  care  can  make  the  rings 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES  115 

which  are  of  rope  fastened  together  with  slanting  seam, 
wound  with  string  so  that  there  is  no  bulging,  overlapping 
hump  at  one  side. 

A  stake  is  nailed  upright  to  a  board  (the  stake  can  be  a 
section  of  an  old  broom  handle,  or  a  smooth,  small,  straight 


ROPE  RING 

peeled  branch  of  a  tree)  and  the  outfit  for  the  game  is  com- 
plete. It  is  played  with  the  same  rules  as  quoits  (see  "Outdoor 
Games  for  Boys  "),  and  a  very  considerable  degree  of  skill  can 
be  obtained  by  practice.  As  in  pitching  quoits,  the  rings 
should  be  thrown  with  a  little  level  twist  to  make  them  whirl 
about. 

Ring-the-Nail 

A  variation  of  this  can  be  played  with  common  large  nails 
and  brass  curtain  rings.  Eight  nails  are  driven  into  a  board 
in  a  circle,  leaving  about  an  inch  sticking  up.  In  the  centre, 
one  is  driven,  standing  about  three  inches  tall.  Small  rings, 
curtain  rings,  for  instance,  are  thrown  toward  this.  Each 
time  they  encircle  one  of  the  lower  nails  is  counted  five,  and 
the  centre  nail  ten. 


u6  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

Soap-Bubbles 

A  soap-bubble  race  is  easy  to  arrange  and  very  good  fun. 
An  old  shawl  or  blanket  is  laid  on  a  table  or  the  floor,  goals 
are  made  at  each  end  of  it  with  piles  of  books,  leaving  an 
opening  between,  and  each  person  is  provided  with  a  pipe  for 
blowing  bubbles.  One  bowl  of  soap-bubbles  is  enough  for  the 
company  (see  page  279  on  the  best  way  to  make  lasting  soap-bub- 
bles). The  game  is  to  see  who  can  most  quickly  blow  a  bubble, 
deposit  it  on  the  woolen  cloth  at  one  end  and  blow  it  through 
the  goal  at  the  other.  Of  course  you  try  to  direct  your  puffs 
so  that  you  will  not  only  blow  your  own  bubble  along  but  will 
force  your  opponent's  back. 

Another  way  is  to  stretch  a  cord  across  the  room  and  di- 
vide into  two  sides,  standing  three  feet  from  the  cord.  At 
a  given  signal  dip  your  pipes  in  the  bowl  of  soap-suds,  blow  a 
bubble,  and  try  to  blow  it  over  the  cord.  The  side  which  suc- 
ceeds in  landing  most  bubbles  in  the  enemy's  territory  wins. 

Jack-Stones 

A  game  which  is  good,  quiet  fun  for  a  rainy  day  is  Jack- 
stones.  Although  not  played  much  nowadays  it  is  very  in- 
teresting and  is  to  indoors  what  "  mumble-the-peg  "  is  to  out- 
doors. It  is  played  usually  with  small  pieces  of  iron  with  six 
little  feet :  but  it  can  also  be  played  with  small  pebbles  all  of 
a  size.  All  kinds  of  exercises  can  be  used,  many  of  which  you 
can  invent  yourself  but  a  few  of  the  commonest  are  given 
below.  1.  The  five  stones  are  thrown  up  and  caught  on  the 
back  of  the  hand.  2.  Four  of  the  stones  are  held  in  the  hand 
while  one  is  thrown  up.  They  must  then  be  laid  on  the  table, 
or  floor,  in  time  to  catch  the  stone  before  it  comes  down.  It 
is  then  thrown  up  again,  and  the  four  stones  are  picked  up 
either  one  at  a  time  or  all  together,  and  the  stone  caught  again. 

Nearly  all  the  exercises  are  variations  of  this.     One  stone 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES  117 

is  thrown  up  and  different  things  must  be  done  quickly  with 
the  others  before  it  falls  again. 


Tying  Knots 

Another  occupation  for  rainy  days  that  will  interest  sev- 
eral children  (as  well  as  one)  is  puzzling  out  the  construction 
of  some  of  the  simplest  sailor's  knots.  This  is  a  useful  and  a 
very  desirable  accomplishment.  Often  several  together  can 
solve  a  difficult  knot  better  than  one,  and  after  some  pro- 
ficiency^ acquired  it  is  interesting  to  have  a  competition  to  see 
who  can  tie  them  most  quickly  and  perfectly.  Every  one  is 
supplied  with  a  piece  of  clothes-line  (the  best  rope  for  this  pur- 
pose) and  some  one  calls  out  "  Kunning  Noose,"  or  "  Figure  of 
Eight."  Every  one  must  then  make  this  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  directions  in  words  about  tying 
knots.  The  best  way  is  to  get  clear  illustrations  and  then 
work  over  them  until  you  have  mastered  the  intricacies.  A 
few  simple  knots  are  shown  here,  but  there  are  many  books 
which  give  an  almost  endless  variety. 


Fia.  1.    OVERHAND  KNOT 


ii8  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 


FIG.  2.    HALF-HITCH 


FIG.  3.    FIGUEK  OF  EIGHT 


FIG.  4.    COMMON  BEND 


FIG.  5.    SAILOR'S  KNOT 


RAINY  DAY-GAMES  119 


Fia.  6.    RUNNING  NOOSE 


Fio.  7.    CROSSED  RUNNING  NOOSE 


FIG.  8.    BOWLINE  KNOT 


120 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


FIG.  9.      DOGSHANK 


Illustrating 

A  competitive  game  which  is  easy  to  manage  is  hit-or- 
miss  illustrating.  Any  old  magazine  (the  more  the  better) 
will  furnish  the  material.  Figures,  furniture,  landscape,  ma- 
chines —  anything  and  everything  —  is  cut  out  from  the  ad- 
vertisement or  illustrations,  and  put  in  a  box  or  basket  in  the 
middle  of  the  table.  Every  one  is  given  a  piece  of  paper  and 
a  proverb  is  selected  for  illustrating.  Twenty  minutes  is  al- 
lowed to  choose  suitable  pictures,  to  paste  them  on  to  sheets 
of  paper  and  to  add,  with  pencil,  accessories  that  are  neces- 
sary :  and  then  results  are  compared.  The  variety  and  excel- 
lence of  these  patchwork  pictures  are  surprising.  This  can 
be  played  during  convalescence.  It  is  not  necessary  to  se- 
lect a  proverb  for  illustrating.  Any  suggestive  title  will  do. 
A  few  that  have  been  found  fruitful  of  varied  and  spirited 
pictures  are  given  here. 


A  trying  moment. 

Companions  in  misery. 

This  is  my  busy  day. 

"  I  did  n't  know  it  was  loaded." 

His  proudest  moment. 

The  unhappy  experimenter. 

The  best  of  friends. 

A  great  scare. 

Fine  weather  for  ducks. 

"  Won't  you  have  some? " 

"  Don't  we  make  a  pretty  picture  ?  " 


Too  busy  to  stop. 

No  harm  done. 

"I  did  n't  mean  to  do  it." 

Stage-struck. 

A  great  success. 

"See  you  later." 

A  temporary  quarrel. 

A  narrow  escape. 

A  happy  family. 

The  peace-maker. 

A  happy  mother. 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES 


121 


Shuffle-Board 

A  game  which  is  often  played  on  shipboard  can  be  modi- 
fied for  an  indoor,  rainy  day  game  very  easily.  This  is  shuffle- 
board,  all  the  outfit  for  which  you  can  easily  make  yourself. 
If  you  can  have  a  long  table  that  scratching  will  not  injure 
your  board  is  all  ready,  but  you  can  easily  procure  a  common, 
smooth-finished  piece  of  plank,  two  feet  wide,  if  possible,  and 


8 


6 


10 


four  feet  long.  On  one  end  mark  a  diagram  like  the  preced- 
ing, about  ten  inches  by  eight  inches.  Mark  a  line  at  the 
other  end  of  the  board  about  four  inches  from  the  edge,  put 
your  counters  on  the  line  and  you  are  ready  to  play.  The 
counters  may  be  checkers  (or  any  round  pieces  of  wood)  or 
twenty-five  cent  pieces,  or  large  flat  buttons,  although  discs 
of  lead  are  the  best  because  the  heaviest.  Your  pusher  should 


122  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

be  a  little  tool  made  especially,  like  the  illustration,  about  a 
foot  long,  and  anybody  with  a  jack-knife  can  whittle  a  satis- 
factory "  shovel "  as  it  is  called. 

But  if  an  impromptu  game  is  desired,  your  counters  may  be 
pushed  off  with  a  common  ruler,  with  a  long  lead-pencil,  or 
even  snapped  with  the  finger  nail,  though  this  is  apt  to  hurt. 
Each  player  has  six  counters  which  he  plays  by  three's,  thus  . 
one  person  begins  by  shoving  off  three  of  his  counters  toward 
the  board  on  the  end,  trying  to  make  them  fall  on  the  places 
that  count  the  highest.  The  next  player  then  shoots  three  of  his 
counters,  trying  not  only  to  place  his  own  men  well  but  to  dis- 
lodge his  adversary's  men  if  they  are  in  good  places.  After 
all  have  played  in  turn,  the  first  player  shoots  his  other  three 
counters  and  so  on  till  all  have  played  again.  At  the  close  of 
each  round  the  board  is  inspected  and  each  person  is  credited 
with  the  sum  of  the  numbers  on  which  his  men  rest.  The 
game  is  continued  thus,  until  some  one  has  reached  the  limit 
set,  which  may  be  a  hundred,  or  fifty,  or  any  other  number  ac- 
cording to  the  skill  of  the  players. 

The  counters  of  each  player  may  be  distinguished  from 
the  others  by  any  distinctive  sign  marked  on  them.  They 
must  not  be  pushed  along  but  struck  a  sharp  blow  with  your 
shovel.  The  head  of  your  shovel  must  not  pass  the  line 
marked  for  the  counters.  Counters  which  rest  on,  or  touch  a 
line  do  not  count.  A  very  considerable  degree  of  skill  can  be 
attained  in  this  game  and  it  is  a  never  failing  resource  on  dull 
days. 

A  rainy  day  is  a  good  time  to  practice  various  tricks  and 
puzzles  so  as  to  perfect  yourself  in  performing  them. 

Balancing  Tricks 

There  are  a  number  of  balancing  tricks  which  are  easy  an  J 
ingenious.  The  secret  of  most  such  tricks  is  in  keeping  the 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES 


123 


centre  of  gravity  low,  and  when  this  idea  is  once  mastered  you 
can  invent  tricks  to  suit  yourself.  For  instance  a  tea-cup  can 
be  balanced  on  the  point  of  a  pencil  thus  :  put  a  cork  through 
the  handle  of  the  cup  (it  should  be  just  large  enough  to  be 
pushed  in  firmly)  and  stick  a  fork  into  it,  with  two  prongs  on 


FIG.  1 


FIG.  2 


FIG.  4 


FIG.  3 


each  side  of  the  handle,  and  with  the  handle  under  the  bottom 
of  the  cup.  (Fig.  1.)  The  centre  of  gravity  is  thus  made  low, 
and  if  you  experiment  a  little  and  have  a  little  skill,  and  a 
steady  hand  you  can  balance  the  whole  on  a  pencil's  point. 

Or  you  can  balance  a  coin  edgeway  on  a  needle's  point. 
The  needle  is  stuck  firmly  into  the  cork  of  a  bottle,  and  the  coin 


124  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

is  fixed  in  a  slit  cut  in  a  cork,  in  which  two  forks  are  stuck. 
(Fig.  2.) 

The  simplest  of  these  tricks  is  to  balance  a  pencil  on  the 
tip  of  your  finger  by  sticking  two  pen-knives  in  it,  one  on  each 
side.  (Fig.  3.) 

A  cork  with  two  forks  stuck  in  it  can  be  made  to  balance 
almost  anywhere — on  the  neck  of  a  bottle  from  which  the  con- 
tents are  being  poured  for  instance.  (See  fig.  4.) 

Amusing  toys  can  be  constructed  on  this  principle. 
Tumbling  dolls  are  made  of  light  wood  or  cork,  glued  to  the 
flat  side  of  a  half  bullet.  No  matter  how  often  they  are  knocked 
flat,  they  rise  again  at  once. 

The  Dancing  Egg 

Another  good  trick  that  needs  a  little  practice  is  to  make 
an  egg  dance.  Boil  an  egg  hard,  keeping  it  in  an  upright 
position  (between  cups  set  in  the  water  or  in  some  other 
way).  Then  turn  a  plate  bottom  side  up  and  put  the  egg  on 
it.  Turn  the  plate  around,  more  and  more  quickly,  always 
holding  it  flat  and  level,  and  the  egg  will  rise  on  its  end  and 
stand  quite  straight  while  it  spins  about. 

The  Dancing  Pea 

A  pea  can  be  made  to  dance  on  a  column  of  air  as  you 
sometimes  see  a  rubber  ball  rising  and  falling  in  a  fountain 
of  water.  Take  a  piece  of  a  clay  pipe  about  three  inches  long, 
and  make  one  end  into  a  little  rounded  cup,  by  cutting  the 
clay  carefully  with  a  knife  or  file.  Then  run  two  small  pins 
cross-wise  through  a  big,  round  pea,  put  the  end  of  one  pin  in 
the  pipe  and  hold  the  pipe  in  an  upright  position  over  your 
mouth.  Blow  gently  through  the  pipe  and  the  pea  will  dance 
up  and  down. 


RAINY-DAY  GAMES  125 

The  Glass-Maker 

Another  trick  to  play  with  pins  is  the  glass-making  pin. 
Cut  an  ordinary  rubber  band  in  two,  and  stick  a  bent  pin 
through  the  middle  of  this.  Now  hold  an  end  of  the  elastic 
in  each  hand  and  whirl  it  rapidly  around,  stretching  it  a 
little.  The  revolving  pin  will  at  once  assume  the  appearance 


THE  GLASS-MAKER 


of  a  tiny  glass  vase,  or  tumbler,  and  the  shape  can  be  varied  at 
will.  It  is  best  to  have  a  strong  ray  of  light  on  the  pin  and 
the  rest  of  the  room  darkened. 

Electricity 

Various  tricks  can  be  played  by  means  of  the  electricity 
in  paper.  Ordinary  sealing  wax,  rubbed  briskly  on  a  coat- 
sleeve  until  it  is  warm  will  attract  bits  of  tissue  paper,  or  any 
other  soft  paper.  A  variation  on  jack-straws  can  be  played 
by  means  of  this  trick.  Tiny  scraps  of  tissue  paper,  each 
numbered,  are  piled  in  the  centre  of  the  table  and  each  player 
by  means  of  a  piece  of  sealing  wax  tries  to  draw  out  the  great- 
est number  in  the  shortest  time.  This  is  a  fascinating  game 
and  arranged  impromptu  in  a  very  short  time.  The  pieces  of 
paper  need  not  be  of  tissue  paper,  as  any  very  thin  paper  will 
do.  They  should  be  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  wide  by  an 
inch  long  and  numbered  up  to  twenty.  They  must  be  re- 
moved from  the  centre  pile  and  put  in  piles  before  the  players 
without  touching  with  the  fingers.  It  will  be  found  that 
shaking  them  off  the  sealing  wax  is  often  harder  than  making 


126          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

them  stick  to  it.  Of  course  an  effort  should  be  made  to  secure 
those  pieces  of  paper  which  have  the  largest  numbers  on  them, 
as  a  few  of  these  count  more  than  many  of  the  others. 

Electric  dancers  are  easy  to  make.  Cut  little  figures  out 
of  tissue  paper  and  lay  them  on  the  table.  Put  on  each  side 
of  them  two  books  and  lay  a  sheet  of  glass  over  them  about 
an  inch  and  a  half  above  them.  Rub  the  glass  briskly  with  a 
flannel  cloth  and  they  will  jump  up  and  dowri. 


ELECTRIC  DANCERS 

A  rubber  comb  rubbed  with  a  silk  handkerchief  will  at- 
tract small  bits  of  paper,  feathers  or  wool.  Various  games  and 
tricks  can  be  devised  by  this  means,  such  as  "  bringing  the 
dead  to  life,"  i.  0.,  raising  paper  figures  to  an  upright  position 
from  a  grave  made  of  books,  or  a  box. 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS 


O 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS 

UTDOOK  games  for  girls  and  outdoor  games  for 
boys  are  very  often  the  same,  although  they  are  sep- 
arated here  for  the  sake  of  convenience. 


Battledore  and  Shuttlecock 

"  Battledore  and  Shuttlecock "  is  equally  good  for  one 
player  or  for  two.  The  only  game  to  be  played  is  to  see  how 
long  the  shuttlecock  can  be  kept  in  the  air.  If  you  are  alone 
the  best  way  is  to  set  yourself  a  number,  say  a  hundred,  and 
persevere  until  you  reach  it.  This  can  be  varied  by  striving 
to  reach,  say,  thirty,  by  first  hitting  the  ball  each  time  as  hard 
as  possible,  and  then  hitting  it  very  gently  so  that  it  hardly 
rises  at  all. 

Jumping  Rope 

Ordinary  skipping  is  good  enough  fun  for  most  of  us,  but 
for  those  who  are  not  satisfied  with  it  there  is  skipping  ex- 
traordinary, one  feat  of  which  is  now  and  then  to  send  the 
rope  round  twice  before  you  touch  the  ground  again.  To  do 
this,  as  it  cannot  be  done  with  a  mere  rope,  you  must  make  a 
new  rope  of  whipcord,  in  the  middle  of  which  you  place  a 
small  chain  about  a  foot  long.  This  chain  gives  the  weight 
necessary  for  whirling  the  rope  very  swiftly  through  the  air. 

Tom  Tiddler's  Ground 

The  player  who  is  first  going  to  be  Tom  Tiddler  stands  or 
sits  inside  the  part  of  the  garden  (or  room)  marked  off  for  him, 
pretending  to  be  asleep.  The  others  venture  on  his  ground, 
crying,  "  Here  we  are  on  Tom  Tiddler's  ground,  picking  up 
gold  and  silver."  As  Tom  still  sleeps  they  grow  bolder  and 

129 


130  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

bolder  until  he  suddenly  awakens  and  dashes  for  them.  The 
one  that  is  caught  becomes  Tom  Tiddler.  Tom  may  not  cross 
the  boundary-line. 

Old  Stone 

Another  "  Tom  Tiddler's  Ground."  One  player  crouches 
down  pretending  to  be  a  stone.  The  others  run  round  about 
her,  gradually,  as  she  shows  no  sign  of  life,  getting  nearer 
and  more  bold.  The  stone  suddenly  leaps  up  and  begins  to 
chase  them,  and  the  one  caught  is  the  old  stone. 

Hen  and  Chickens 

Even  more  exciting  than  "  Tom  Tiddler's  Ground "  is 
"  Hen  and  Chickens."  In  this  game  one  player  represents  a 
fox  and  sits  on  the  ground  looking  sly  and  hungry.  The  oth- 
ers, who  are  the  hen  and  chickens,  form  a  procession,  holding 
each  other's  skirts  or  coats  by  both  hands,  and  march  past  the 
fox,  saying  in  turn  — 

Chickany,  chickany,  crany  crow, 

I  went  to  the  well  to  wash  my  toe, 

And  when  I  came  back  a  chicken  was  dead. 

Then  they  leave  go  of  each  other  and  stand  round  the  fox,  and 
the  leader,  the  hen,  says,  "  What  are  you  doing,  old  fox  ? " 
The  fox  replies,  "  Making  a  fire  " ;  and  the  conversation  goes 
on  like  this  : — 

The  Hen  :  What  for? 
The  Fox  :  To  boil  some  water. 
The  Hen  :  What  is  the  water  for  ? 
The  Fox  :  To  scald  a  chicken. 
The  Hen  :  Where  will  yon  get  it? 
The  Fox  :  Out  of  yonr  flock. 

With  these  words  the  fox  springs  up  and  the  hen  and  chickens 
run  in  all  directions.  The  chicken  that  is  caught  becomes  the 
new  fox,  and  the  old  fox  is  the  new  hen,  the  leader  of  the 
procession. 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS  13! 

The  same  game  is  played  by  Essex  children  with  an  old 
woman  in  place  of  the  fox,  and  with  different  words.  In  this 
case  the  hen  and  chickens  make  a  procession  in  front  of  a 
player  who  personates  an  old  weeping  woman.  As  they 
march  by,  the  hen  sings  — 

Chickens,  come  clock,  come  clock,  come  clock, 
Chickens,  come  clock,  come  clock,  come  clock, 
The  hawks  are  away  and  the  crows  are  asleep, 
It's  time  that  my  chickens  had  something  to  eat. 

Then  they  leave  go  of  each  other  and  stand  round  the  old 
weeping  woman,  and  between  her  and  the  hen  the  following 
conversation  is  held : 

The  Hen  :  What  are  you  crying  for,  my  poor  old  woman  ? 

The  Old  Woman :  Because  I  've  lost  my  needle. 

The  Hen  :  What  do  you  want  a  needle  for  ? 

The  Old  Woman  :  To  sew  a  bag  with. 

The  Hen  :  What  do  you  want  a  bag  for  ? 

The  Old  Woman :  To  put  salt  tn. 

The  Hen  :  What  do  you  want  salt  for  ? 

The  Old  Woman :  To  scour  a  saucepan. 

The  Hen  :  What  do  you  want  a  saucepan  for  ? 

The  Old  Woman  :  To  boil  one  of  your  chickens  in. 

The  old  woman  then  leaps  up  and  tries  to  catch  a  chicken, 
and  the  hen  tries  to  stop  her. 

Other  Garden  Games 

Many  of  the  games  described  in  other  parts  of  this  book 
are  good  also  for  the  ,garden  ;  such  as  "  Still  Pond  !  No  More 
Moving!"  (p.  4),  "Puss  in  the  Corner"  (p.  7),  "Honey-pots" 
(p.  11),  "  Nuts  in  May  "  (p.  12),  "  Here  I  Bake  "  (p.  13),  "  Lady 
Queen  Anne "  (p.  20),  "  The  Mulberry  Bush "  (p.  28),  and 
"  Looby,  Looby  "  (p.  29). 

Witches 

"  Witches  "  is  a  home-made  game  played  thus,  according 
to  the  description  of  E.  H. :  —  "  One  player  is  made  witch.     A 


132  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

good  spot  is  chosen  for  home,  and  here  the  others  wait  until 
the  witch  has  had  time  to  hide.  The  idea  is  that  the  country 
round  is  preyed  upon  by  the  witch,  home  being  the  only  place 
where  she  has  no  power.  The  rest  of  the  children  have  to 
explore  the  witch's  country  without  being  caught  by  her.  It 
must  be  a  point  of  honor  to  leave  no  suspicious  place  unex 
amined.  The  child  chosen  for  witch  need  not  be  a  particularly 
fast  runner,  but  she  must  be  clever  and  a  good  dodger.  Any 
one  that  the  witch  succeeds  in  touching  is  at  once  turned  to 
stone  and  may  not  stir  except  as  she  is  moved  about  by  the 
witch,  who  chooses  a  spot  to  stand  her  victim  in  as  far  re- 
moved from  home  as  possible.  The  stone  can  be  released  only 
by  some  other  child  finding  her  and  dragging  her  safely  home, 
where  the  spell  ceases  to  act.  But  until  actually  home  the 
victim  remains  stone,  so  that  if  the  rescuer  is  surprised  by  the 
witch  and  lets  go  her  hold,  the  stone  has  to  stand  where  she 
is  left  and  is  so  recovered  by  the  witch.  The  witch  must  not, 
of  course,  guard  her  prisoners  too  closely.  She  ought  to  try 
and  intercept  the  rescuers  on  their  way  home,  rather  than 
spring  upon  them  in  the  act  of  finding  the  stone.  But  each 
time  the  stone  is  recovered  the  witch  may  place  her  in  a  more 
inaccessible  spot,  so  that  it  becomes  more  and  more  dangerous 
to  release  her.  Sometimes  at  the  end  of  the  game  all  the 
children  are  turned  to  stone  in  different  parts  of  the  garden, 
but  sometimes,  of  course,  a  swift  runner  will  outstrip  the  witch 
and  drag  the  victim  safely  home.  A  clever  witch  acts  the 
part  too  —  appearing  and  disappearing  suddenly,  prowling 
about  in  a  crouching  attitude,  making  gestures  of  hate  and 
rage,  and  so  on." 

The  Ballad  Game 

Another  home-made  game  is  described  by  E.  H.  thus  :  — 
"  The  game  is  taken  from  the  player's  favorite  ballads.    In  our 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS  133 

play  the  eldest  of  the  four  players,  who  was  also  the  best  or- 
ganizer, represented  the  cruel  father.  The  youngest  little  girl 
was  the  fair  damsel.  The  other  two  represented  the  wicked 
lover  and  the  faithful  knight,  the  part  of  the  faithful  knight 
being  taken  by  the  fleetest  of  the  party  to  balance  the  combi- 
nation of  the  father  and  the  wicked  lover.  The  game  begins 
by  the  fair  damsel  being  imprisoned  in  the  coach-house  because 
she  refuses  to  marry  the  wicked  lover.  (Of  course  any  shed 
would  do.)  Here  she  waits  until  her  knight  comes  to  rescue 
her,  and  they  escape  together,  pursued  by  the  other  two.  If 
the  lovers  succeed  in  getting  away  the  story  has  a  happy  end- 
ing ;  but  the  more  dramatic  ending  is  the  tragic  one,  when 
the  faithful  knight  is  overtaken,  and  after  killing  the  cruel 
father  and  the  wicked  lover,  himself  dies  of  his  wounds,  the 
fair  damsel  slaying  herself  with  his  sword  over  his  dead 
body. 

"  The  interest  of  this  game  is  greatly  increased  by  having 
retainers.  These  are  armies  of  sticks  which  are  planted  at 
particular  corners.  There  must  be  some  mark  by  which  your 
own  retainers  can  be  distinguished  from  the  enemy's.  For  in- 
stance, the  faithful  knight  may  have  peeled  sticks  and  the 
others  unpeeled.  If,  when  charging  round  the  house,  you 
come  across  a  troop  of  the  enemy's  retainers,  you  cannot  go 
on  until  you  have  thrown  them  all  down,  as  they  are  set  to 
guard  the  pass.  So,  if  the  lovers  are  escaping  and  they  find 
their  way  blocked  by  the  father's  retainers  (the  father  and  the 
wicked  lover  may  have  separate  sets  of  retainers,  in  which  case 
the  war  is  always  bitterest  between  the  two  rivals,  as  the 
father's  retainers  are  sometimes  spared  for  the  damsel's  sake), 
they  have  to  lose  time  by  first  overcoming  the  retainers  and 
that  gives  time  to  their  pursuers  to  come  up.  But  if  they  are 
so  far  in  advance  that  they  can  stop  to  set  up  their  own  re- 
tainers in  the  place  of  the  enemy,  it  serves  to  give  them 


134          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

further  time  to  make  good  their  escape,  as  the  others  have  to 
wait  to  overthrow  the  knight's  sticks  in  their  turn.  In  no  case 
are  you  allowed  to  take  away  your  enemy's  sticks.  If  the  lovers 
are  overtaken,  the  rivals  have  to  fight,  and  meanwhile  the 
father  once  more  carries  off  and  imprisons  the  damsel." 

Counting-Out  Rhymes 

To  decide  who  is  to  begin  a  game  there  are  various  count- 
ing-out rhymes.  All  the  players  stand  in  a  circle,  surround- 
ing the  one  who  counts.  At  each  pause  in  the  rhyme  (which 
occurs  wherever  a  stroke  has  been  placed  in  the  versions  which 
follow)  this  one  touches  the  players  in  turn  until  the  end  is 
reached.  The  player  to  whom  t  he  last  number  comes  is  to  be- 
gin. This  is  one  rhyme  : — 

Eeua-a,  |  deen-a,  |  dine-a,  |  dost,  | 
Cat'll-a,  |  ween-a,  |  wine-a,  |  wust,  | 
Spin,  |  spoil,  |  must  |  be  |  done,  | 
Twiddlum,  |  twaddlum,  |  twenty-one.  } 
O-  |  U-  |  T  |  spells  |  out.  | 


Others  :— 


Intery,  |  mintery,  |  cutery  |  corn,  | 
Apple  |  seed  |  and  |  apple  |  thorn ;  | 
Wine,  |  brier,  |  limber  |  lock,  J 
Five  |  geese  |  in  |  a  |  flock ;  | 
Sit  and  sing  |  by  a  spring  | 
O-  |  U-  |  T  |  and  |  in  |  again.  | 

One-ery,  |  two-ery,  | 

Ziccary  |  zan  ;  | 
Hollowbone,  |  crack-a-bone,  j 

Ninery,  |  ten  ;  | 
Spittery  |  spot,  | 

Must  |  be  |  done,  | 
Twiddledum,  |  twaddledum, 

Twenty-one. 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  GIRLS  135 

Ring  |  around  |  a  ring-pot,  | 

One  spot  |  two  spot  |  three  spot  |  san  | 

Bob- tailed  |  winnie-wack  |  tittero  |  tan  | 

Ham  |  Scram  | 

Fortune  |  man  | 

Singum  |  sangnm  |  Buck  !  | 

Daisy  Chains 

The  old  way  of  making  a  daisy  chain  is  to  split  one  stalk 
and  thread  the  next  through  it  up  to  the  head,  as  in  this  draw- 


DAISY  CHAIN 

ing.  That  is  for  out-of-doors.  If  you  are  using  the  chain  for 
decorations  indoors,  it  is  perhaps  better  to  cut  off  the  stalks 
and  thread  the  heads  on  cotton ;  but  there  seems  to  be  no  great 
need  to  use  daisies  in  this  way  at  all. 

An  ivy  chain  is  made  by  passing  the  stalk  of  one  leaf 
through  the  point  of  another  and  then  bending  it  round  and 


IVY  CHAIN 


putting  it  through  the  point  of  its  own  leaf,  the  hole  thus 
made  being  used  for  the  stalk  of  the  next,  and  so  on,  as  in 
this  drawing. 


136  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Flower  Show 

A  flower-show  competition  is  an  excellent  garden  game. 
A  handkerchief  on  sticks  forms  the  tent.  Underneath  this  is 
a  bed  of  sand  in  which  the  flowers,  singly  or  in  groups,  can 
be  fixed.  Some  one  can  easily  be  persuaded  to  come  out  of 
the  house  to  act  as  judge. 

Garden  Shop 

Shop  in  the  garden  or  out-of-doors  is  played  with  various 
things  that  resemble  articles  of  food.  Thus  you  can  get  ex- 
cellent coffee  from  sorrel,  and  capital  little  bundles  of  rhubarb 
can  be  made  by  taking  a  rhubarb  leaf  and  cutting  the  ribs 
into  stalks.  Small  stones  make  very  good  imitation  potatoes, 
and  the  heads  of  marguerite  daisies  on  a  plate  will  easily  pass 
for  poached  eggs. 

Flower  Symbols 

In  this  place  a  word  might  be  said  about  some  of  the 
curious  things  to  be  found  in  flowers  and  plants.  If  you  cut 
the  stalk  of  a  brake  fern  low  down,  in  September,  you  find  a 
spreading  oak  tree.  The  pansy  contains  a  picture  of  a  man 
in  a  pulpit.  A  poppy  is  easily  transformed  into  an  old  woman 
in  a  red  gown.  The  snap-dragon,  when  its  sides  are  pinched, 
can  be  made  to  yawn.  The  mallow  contains  a  minute  cheese. 
By  blowing  the  fluff  on  a  dandelion  that  has  run  to  seed  you 
can  tell  (more  or  less  correctly)  the  time  of  day.  An  ear  of 
barley  will  run  up  your  sleeve  if  the  pointed  end  is  laid  just 
within  it ;  and  an  apple's  seeds  make  exquisite  little  mice. 

Summer  Houses 

If  the  garden  has  no  summer-house  or  tent  a  very  good 
one  can  be  made  with  a  clothes-horse  and  a  rug. 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS 

THIS  book  is  written  for  children  who  need  help 
in  amusing  themselves.  It  is  natural  that  there 
should  be  some  difficulty  about  thinking  of  games 
for  indoors,  or  when  there  is  a  problem  of  a  large  company  to 
amuse ;  but  it  is  hard  to  imagine  any  healthy  boy,  turned 
loose  out  of  doors,  who  cannot  take  care  of  his  own  entertain- 
ment. The  number  of  things  to  do  is  without  limit  and  the 
boy  so  uninventive  as  to  be  at  a  loss  with  all  outdoors  before 
him  must  be  in  a  sad  way.  Hence  there  has  been  no  effort 
made  in  this  chapter  to  make  an  exhaustive  list  of  outdoor 
games,  only  those  being  given  which  are  suggestive,  that  is, 
which  can  be  infinitely  varied  according  to  your  ingenuity ; 
which  are,  so  to  speak,  the  first  of  a  series. 

Also,  the  rules  of  regular  games  are  not  given  here  (such 
as  baseball,  football,  hocky,  etc.).  There  are  plenty  of  small 
manuals,  given  away  with  the  outfits  for  these  games,  which 
print  in  much  more  detail  than  would  be  possible  here,  their 
principles.  More  than  that,  most  boys  absorb  a  general 
knowledge  of  these  games  through  their  pores,  and  need  a 
book  only  to  settle  some  small,  knotty,  disputed  point  of 
ruling. 

One  of  the  best  things  to  have  when  out  of  doors  is  a 
ball.  There  is  no  end  to  the  uses  one  can  make  of  it. 

Ball  Games 

The  simplest  thing  to  do  with  a  ball  is  to  catch  it ;  and 
the  quicker  one  is  in  learning  to  catch  well  the  better  base- 
ball player  one  will  become.  Ordinary  catching  in  a  ring  is 
good,  but  the  practice  is  better  if  you  try  to  throw  the  ball 
each  time  so  that  the  player  to  whom  you  throw  it  shall  not 


140  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

need  to  move  his  feet  in  order  to  catch  it.  This  teaches 
straight  throwing  too.  Long  and  high  throwing  and  catch- 
ing, and  hard  throwing  and  catching  (standing  as  close  to- 
gether as  you  dare),  are  important.  There  is  also  dodge- 
catching,  where  you  pretend  to  throw  to  one  player  and 
really  throw  to  another  and  thus  take  him  unawares.  All 
these  games  can  be  varied  and  made  more  difficult  by  using 
only  one  hand,  right  or  left,  for  catching. 

Ball  Games  Alone 

A  boy  with  a  ball  need  never  be  very  lonely.  When  tired 
of  catching  it  in  the  ordinary  way  he  can  practice  throwing  the 
ball  straight  into  the  air  until,  without  his  moving  from  his 
place,  it  falls  absolutely  on  him  each  time.  He  can  throw  it 
up  and  catch  it  behind  him,  and  if  he  has  two  others  (or 
stones  will  do)  he  can  strive  for  the  juggler's  accomplishment 
of  keeping  three  things  in  the  air  at  once.  Every  boy  should 
practice  throwing  with  his  left  hand  (or,  if  he  is  already  left- 
handed,  with  his  right) :  a  very  useful  accomplishment.  If  it 
is  a  solid  india-rubber  ball  and  there  is  a  blank  wall,  he  can 
make  it  rebound  at  different  angles,  one  good  way  being,  in 
throwing  it,  to  let  it  first  hit  the  ground  close  to  the  wall's 
foot.  He  may  also  pledge  himself  to  catch  it  first  with  the 
right  hand  and  then  with  the  left  for  a  hundred  times  ;  or  to 
bat  it  up  a  hundred  times  with  a  tennis  racket  or  a  flat  bit  of 
board.  An  interesting  game  for  one  is  to  mark  out  a  golf 
course  round  the  garden,  making  a  little  hole  at  intervals  of 
half  a  dozen  yards  or  so,  and  see  how  many  strokes  are  needed 
in  going  round  and  getting  into  each  hole  on  the  way. 

Races 

All  kinds  of  races  are  easy  to  arrange  and  these  can  be  re- 
peated from  day  to  day  as  your  proficiency  increases.  Here 
are  a  few. 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS  141 

The  Spanish  race,  sometimes  called  the  Wheelbarrow 
race,  is  played  by  forming  the  boys  into  two  lines,  one  standing 
back  of  the  other,  and  the  front  row  on  their  hands  and 
knees.  At  a  signal  to  begin,  each  boy  on  the  back  row  takes 
hold  of  the  ankles  of  the  boy  in  front  of  him  and  lifts  his 
knees  off  the  ground.  The  boy  in  front  walking  on  his  hands, 
and  the  boy  behind  trundling  him  along,  make  the  greatest 
haste  possible.  The  pair  who  first  reach  the  goal  are  the 
winners. 

Kaces  may  be  run,  hopping  on  the  right  foot,  or  on  the 
left,  or  with  both  together,  or  with  first  a  hop  and  then  a 
jump.  It  is  well  to  appoint  one  of  the  boys  umpire  during 
these  odd  races,  to  see  that  they  are  run  fairly  and  none  of 
the  rules  agreed  upon  are  broken. 

A  sack  race  is  fun.  Each  boy  is  tied  into  a  gunny 
sack  and  shuffles  his  way  to  the  goal.  A  substitute  for  this  is 
the  three-legged  race,  run  by  two  boys.  They  stand  side  by 
side,  and  the  right  leg  of  one  is  tied  to  the  left  leg  of  the 
other  and  so  with  three  legs  between  them  they  must  some- 
how get  to  the  goal. 

Hands  and  knees  races,  backward  races  (run  with  your 
back  to  the  goal),  races  with  burdens  on  your  back,  or  balanc- 
ing a  pole  across  your  hand  or  on  the  tip  of  your 
finger  —  there  is  no  limit  to  the  ones  you  can  invent. 

But  the  best  ones,  after  all,  are  the  plain  old  trials  of 
speed.  There  is  no  more  fun  than  a  good  running  race,  and  a 
walking  race  is  next  to  it.  Bicycle  races  are  apt  to  be 
dangerous  and  a  course  that  is  very  wide  should  always  be 
selected. 

Quoits 

Quoits  is  a  game  not  played  as  much  as  it  should  be  by 
American  boys.  It  is  easy  to  arrange,  for  although  there  is 


142  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

an  outfit  sold  in  the  toy  shops,  a  home-made  one  is  just  as 
good.  It  consists  of  a  collection  of  horseshoes  and  a  stake 
driven  in  the  ground  —  certainly  not  a  difficult  appa- 
ratus to  assemble.  The  stake  should  not  project  more  than  an 
inch  above  the  ground  and  the  players,  according  to  the 
grown-up  rules,  should  stand  about  fifteen  yards  away  from 
the  stake  (which  is  usually  called  "  the  hub"  ).  But  for  boys 
the  distance  from  the  hub  can  be  determined  by  your  skill. 
You  may  increase  it  as  you  improve  with  practice.  Every 
player  has  a  certain  number  of  quoits  (horseshoes)  and  stand- 
ing at  a  fixed  distance  from  the  hub  he  tries  to  pitch  them  so 
that  they  will  go  as  near  as  possible  to  the  hub.  Some  very 
good  players  can  cast  a  quoit  so  that  it  falls  about  the  hub. 
This  is  called  a  "  ringer  "  and  counts  ten,  but  it  is  a  rare  shot. 
Every  one  pitches  his  quoits  and  then  all  go  to  the  hub  and 
reckon  up  the  score.  The  one  whose  quoits  lie  nearest  to  the 
hub  counts  one  point  for  each  quoit,  but  each  quoit  entitled 
to  count  must  be  nearer  the  hub  than  any  of  the  opponents' 
quoits.  This  continues  until  the  score  is  complete.  People 
usually  play  for  eleven.  This  game  can  be  played  with  flat 
stones  instead  of  horseshoes  and  with  any  rules  that  you 
choose  to  make. 

Duck  on  a  Rock 

Duck  on  a  Kock  is  a  variation  of  Quoits  which  is  excel- 
lent fun.  One  of  the  players,  chosen  by  counting  out,  puts  a 
stone  (called  in  this  game  the  "  duck  ")  about  as  big  as  his  fist, 
on  the  top  of  a  smooth  rock  and  stands  near  it.  All  the 
other  players  have  similar  "ducks"  and  try  to  dislodge  the 
one  on  the  rock  by  throwing  their  stones,  or  ducks  at  it.  As 
soon  as  each  has  thrown  his  duck  he  tries  to  watch  his  chance 
to  run  up  to  it  and  carry  it  back  before  the  player  standing 
by  the  rock  can  touch  him.  When  some  one  knocks  off  the 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS  143 

duck  from  the  rock  the  "  it "  (the  player  by  the  rock)  must 
put  it  back  before  he  can  tag  any  of  the  players.  This  is 
therefore,  of  course,  the  great  time  for  a  rush  of  all  the 
players  to  recover  their  ducks  and  get  back  to  their  own  ter- 
ritory before  the  "  it "  can  tag  them.  If  any  player  is 
touched  by  the  "  it "  while  attempting  to  rescue  his  duck  he 
must  become  "  it "  and  put  his  duck  on  the  rock. 

Bowling 

Bowling  is  the  best  of  sports  but  this  usually  needs  too 
much  apparatus  for  the  average  boy  to  have.  Nine  pins, 
however,  can  be  arranged  in  a  rough  sort  of  a  way,  by  setting 
up  sticks  and  bowling  at  them  with  round  apples.  Your  own 
ingenuity  will  devise  ways  to  use  the  materials  you  find 
about  you. 

Hop-Scotch 

Hop-scotch  is  a  great  favorite  which  scarcely  needs  a  de- 
scription, although  there  are  various  ways  of  marking  the 
boards.  The  game  is  played  by  any  number  of  persons,  each 
of  whom  kicks  a  small  stone  from  one  part  to  another  of  the 
diagram  by  hopping  about  on  one  foot.  The  diagram  is 
drawn  on  a  smooth  piece  of  ground  with  a  pointed  stick  or  on 
a  pavement  with  a  bit  of  chalk.  The  most  usual  figure  is 
given  here. 

To  begin,  a  player  puts  a  pebble  or  bit  of  wood  into 
the  place  marked  1,  and  then,  hopping  into  it  with  his  right 
foot,  he  kicks  the  counter  outside  the  diagram.  Then  hopping 
out  himself,  he  kicks  it  (with  the  foot  on  which  he  is  hopping) 
into  the  part  marked  2.  He  hops  through  1  to  2,  kicks  the 
counter  out  again,  and  follows  it  out.  This  continues  until  he 
has  kicked  the  counter  in  and  out  of  every  space  in  the  dia- 
gram, without  stepping  on  a  line,  or  so  casting  the  counter 


144 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


that  it  rests  on  a  line.  If  this  occurs  he  is  put  back  a  space, 
and  it  is  the  turn  of  the  next  player.  Each  one  plays  until  he 
has  made  a  fault,  and  when  it  is  his  turn  again,  he  takes  up 
the  game  where  he  left  off.  The  one  who  first  gets  through 
the  required  figures  is  the  winner. 


8 


There  is  literally  no  end  to  the  variations  of  this  game, 
either  in  the  diagram  used  or  in  the  rules.  Sometimes  when 
people  become  very  skilful  they  play  it  backward,  and  some- 
times at  the  end  the  player  is  required  to  place  the  pebble  on 
his  toe  and  kick  it  in  the  air,  catching  it  in  his  hand. 

Strength  Tests 

Various  trials  of  strength  are  good  for  boys  out  of  doors, 
provided  rules  are  fixed  and  adhered  to.  Cane-spreeing  is  good 
sport,  but  should  only  be  tried  by  boys  pretty  well  matched  in 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS  145 

size  and  strength.  A  cane  (or  broom-stick)  about  three  feet 
long  is  held  by  two  boys  facing  each  other,  each  with  a  hand 
on  each  end  of  the  cane,  the  respective  right  hands  being  out- 
side the  lefts,  that  is,  nearest  to  the  end.  Then  one  tries  to  get 
the  cane  away  from  the  other.  It  sounds  simple,  but  there  are  a 
great  variety  of  strategic  tricks  to  be  learned  by  practice.  No 
struggle  should  last  more  than  two  minutes  by  the  watch,  when 
the  boys  should  stop  and  get  breath.  The  feet  are  not  used, 
but  it  is  quite  allowable  to  use  your  body,  if  you  get  down  on 
the  ground  in  a  sort  of  wrestling. 

Hare  and  Hounds 

Hare  and  Hounds  can  be  played  either  in  the  country  or 
the  city  and  is  fine  fun,  although  it  should  be  begun  with  a 
short  run.  In  the  excitement  of  the  chase  boys  are  apt  to  for- 
get, and  over- strain  themselves.  The  "  hares  "  are  two  players 
who  have  a  bag  of  small  paper  pieces  which  they  scatter  after 
them  from  time  to  time  as  they  run.  They  are  given  a 
start  of  five  or  ten  minutes  and  then  all  the  others,  who 
are  the  "  hounds,"  start  after  them,  tracing  their  course  by 
the  bits  of  paper.  In  the  city  the  hares  take  a  piece  of 

chalk  and  mark  an  arrow  on  the  wall  thus ^>  showing  in 

ivhich  direction  they  have  gone.  Good  stout  shoes  should 
be  worn  to  run  in,  or  you  will  blister  your  feet. 

Dog-Stick 

A  game  for  city  payments  or  for  smooth  country  roads 
has  so  many  names  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  which  is  its  right 
one,  but  a  common  one  is  "  dog-stick."  It  is  played  something 
like  hockey,  the  aim  being  to  get  a  ball  or  counter  over  your 
opponent's  goal  line.  The  ball  in  this  case  is  not  a  ball  but  a 
piece  of  wood  which  you  can  make  yourself,  of  an  odd  shape. 
It  is  like  a  flattened  ball  with  a  tail  to  it.  With  a  club  or  stick 
you  strike  the  tail  so  that  the  ball  springs  up  in  the  air  and 


146  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

then  before  it  falls  you  strike  it  with  your  club  toward  your 
enemy's  goal  line.  The  players  are  divided  into  sides  who 
try  to  defend  their  goal  lines  and  to  send  back  the  ball  to  the 
other  side.  Make  your  own  rules  as  experience  teaches  you  is 
fair. 

Other  Games 

The  endless  variations  of  leap-frog  should  not  be  forgot- 
ten in  devising  outdoor  games:  and  tournaments  of  long  or 
broad  jumping  and  high  jumping  are  good.  Stilts  and  the 
games  to  be  arranged  with  them  are  also  another  great  re- 
source. And  the  seasons  bring,  as  regularly  as  flowers  and 
snow,  the  round  of  tops,  and  kites  and  marbles.  Of  these  last 
a  very  summary  account  is  given  here  as  most  boys  and  regions 
have  their  own  rules. 

Marbles 

The  first  thing  to  learn  in  "  Marbles  "  is  the  way  that  the 
marble  should  be  held.  Of  course  one  can  have  very  good 
games  by  bowling  the  marble,  as  if  it  were  a  ball,  or  holding 
it  between  the  thumb-nail  and  the  second  joint  of  the  first 
finger  and  shooting  it  with  the  thumb  from  there ;  but  these 
ways  are  wrong.  The  correct  way  is  to  hold  it  between  the 
tip  of  the  forefinger  and  the  first  joint  of  the  thumb.  Mar- 
bles are  divided  into  "taws,"  or  well-made  strong  marbles 
with  which  you  shoot,  and  "  clays,"  or  the  ordinary  cheap 
colored  marbles  at  which  you  aim  and  with  which  you  pay 
your  losses. 

Ring  Taw 

Two  or  three  boys  with  marbles  could  never  have  diffi- 
culty in  hitting  on  a  game  to  play  with  them,  but  the  best  reg- 
ular game  for  several  players  is  "  Ring  Taw."  A  chalk  ring 
is  made  on  as  level  a  piece  of  ground  as  there  is,  and  each 


OUTDOOR  GAMES  FOR  BOYS  147 

player  puts  a  clay  on  it  at  regular  distances  from  each  other. 
A  line  from  which  to  shoot  during  the  first  round  is  then 
drawn  two  yards  or  so  from  the  ring,  and  the  game  begins  by 
the  player  who  has  won  the  right  of  leading  off  (a  real  advan- 
tage) knuckling  down  on  the  line  and  shooting  at  one  of  the 
marbles  in  the  ring.  If  a  player  knocks  a  marble  out  of  the 
ring,  that  marble  is  his  and  he  has  the  right  to  shoot  again 
from  the  place  where  his  taw  comes  to  a  stand ;  but  if  in 
knocking  a  marble  out  of  the  ring  his  taw  remains  in  it  (or  if 
his  taw  remains  in  it  under  any  condition  whatever),  he  has  to 
put  all  the  marbles  he  has  won  into  the  ring,  in  addition  to  one 
for  a  fine,  and  take  up  his  taw  and  play  no  more  till  the  next 
game.  There  is  one  exception  to  this  rule :  If  only  one 
marble  is  left  in  the  ring,  and  if,  in  knocking  it  out,  a  player's 
taw  remains  in  the  ring,  he  does  not  suffer,  because  the  game 
is  then  over.  The  other  two  rules  are  these :  If  a  player  suc- 
ceeds in  hitting  the  taw  of  another  the  owner  of  that  taw  not 
only  must  leave  the  game  but  hand  over  any  marbles  he  has 
won.  (In  no  case  are  taws  parted  with.)  Also,  if  it  happens 
that  only  two  players  are  left,  and  one  of  these  has  his  taw  hit, 
that  ends  the  game,  for  the  player  who  hit  it  not  only  has  the 
marble  of  the  taw's  owner  but  all  the  marbles  left  in  the 
ring  too. 

"  Ring  Taw  "  can  be  played  by  as  few  as  two  players  ;  but 
in  this  case  they  must  each  put  several  marbles  in  the  ring. 

To  decide  which  player  is  to  begin,  it  is  customary  for  them 
all  to  aim  at  the  ring  from  the  knuckling-down  line,  and 
whichever  one  places  his  taw  nearest  to  the  middle  of  the  ring 
has  the  right  to  lead. 

Other  Games 

Other  garden  games  for  boys  will  be  found  in  the  Picnic 
section.  We  might  mention  also  "  Steps  "  (p.  4), "  Tug  of 
War  "  (p.  38),  and  "  Potato  Races  "  (p.  40). 


PICNIC  GAMES 


PICNIC  GAMES 

A  PICNIC  may  be  either  a  complicated  affair  which  has 
occupied  you  all  the  day  before,  or  the  most  im- 
promptu expedition  which  you  arrange  on  the  spur  of 
the  minute ;  and  the  last  kind  are  often  more  fun.  Any  place 
out  of  doors  will  answer  for  a  picnic,  but  if  possible  it  should 
be  near  water.  Anything  will  answer  for  a  picnic  lunch,  but 
it  is  pleasant,  if  older  people  are  with  you,  if  you  are  al- 
lowed to  have  fires  to  do  some  outdoor  cooking.  This  is  al- 
ways easier  than  it  sounds  and  adds  infinitely  to  the  fun  of  the 
lunch.  Bacon  is  one  of  the  easiest  things  to  cook  outdoors,  all 
that  is  needed  being  a  forked  stick  which  you  can  cut  for  your- 
selves. The  strip  of  bacon  is  impaled  on  the  forks  and  toasted 
over  the  fire,  each  person  cooking  his  own  slice  and  eating  it 
on  bread.  Or  with  two  larger  forked  sticks  a  steak  can  be  de- 
liciously  broiled  for  the  whole  company,  or  chops  can  be 
cooked.  It  is  the  easiest  and  most  delightful  task  to  arrange 
a  sort  of  cooking-hole  of  stones  over  which  the  coffee  pot  may 
be  set  and  potatoes  may  be  boiled  over  another  similar  hole. 
You  will  find  that  it  is  far  better  to  have  a  number  of  very 
tiny  little  fires  entirely  separated  from  each  other,  than  one  big 
bonfire  which  is  almost  sure  to  grow  unmanageable.  It  will  be 
seen  that  it  is  far  easier  to  take  a  big  piece  of  bacon  (to  be 
sliced  after  reaching  the  picnic  grounds)  a  loaf  or  two  of  bread 
and  raw  potatoes  than  to  spend  hours  in  making  sandwiches 
and  packing  cake.  Beside  the  things  cooked  out  of  doors  al- 


152  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

ways  taste  so  much  better.  Great  care  should  be  taken  to  put 
out  every  spark  of  fire  before  going  home,  and  to  leave  no 
scraps  of  paper,  or  egg-shells  lying  about.  These  should  be 
burned  or  buried. 

It,  Touch  Last,  or  Tag 

For  a  short  time  "  It  "  is  a  good  warming  game.  It  is  the 
simplest  of  all  games.  The  "  It  "  runs  after  the  others  until 
he  touches  one.  The  one  touched  then  becomes  "  It." 


Touchwood 

The  name  explains  the  game,  which  is  played  as  "  It "  is 
played,  except  that  you  can  be  caught  only  when  you  are  not 
touching  wood.  It  is  a  good  game  where  there  are  trees.  It 
is,  of  course,  not  fair  to  carry  a  piece  of  wood. 

Cross  Tag 

This  is  the  ordinary  "  Tag,"  save  that  if,  while  the  "  It " 
is  chasing  one  player,  another  runs  across  the  trail  between 
him  and  the  pursued,  the  "  It  "  has  to  abandon  the  player  he 
was  at  first  after  and  give  chase  to  the  one  who  has  crossed. 

A  good  variety  of  tag  is  "  French  Tag."  The  first  one 
caught  must  join  hands  with  the  "  It,"  the  next  one  with  him, 
etc.,  and  so  on  in  a  long  line  all  running  together.  Any  one 
can  catch  an  opponent,  but  the  original  "It"  must  touch 
him  before  he  can  take  his  place  in  the  line. 

The  Little  Dog 

The  players  form  a  ring,  leaving  one  outside,  who  passes 
round  it  singing,  "  I  have  a  little  dog  and  he  won't  bite  you," 
and  as  he  does  so,  touching  each  player  in  turn  with  a  knotted 
pocket-handkerchief.  "  And  he  won't  bite  you,"  "  And  he 


PICNIC  GAMES  153 

won't  bite  you,"  he  calls  to  one  after  the  other,  and  then  sud- 
denly changes  this  to  " But  he  will  bite  you"  The  player 
touched  when  this  is  said  has  to  run  after  the  toucher  with  all 
his  might.  When  caught  they  change  places. 

Hunt  the  Squirrel 

All  the  players  except  one  join  a  ring.  This  one,  with  a 
knotted  handkerchief  in  his  hand,  walks  round  the  outside  of 
the  ring  for  a  while,  and  then,  dropping  the  handkerchief  be- 
hind one  of  the  players,  runs  off  crying  — 

Hunt  the  squirrel  through  the  wood. 
Now  I  've  lost  him  —  now  I  've  found  him  ! 
Hunt  the  squirrel  through  the  wood. 

The  player  behind  whom  the  handkerchief  was  dropped  must 
catch  the  squirrel  before  he  can  take  up  the  empty  place  in 
the  ring  left  by  the  pursuer.  It  is  more  fun  if,  in  dropping 
the  handkerchief,  it  can  be  done  without  the  player  discover- 
ing it  for  a  little  while. 

The  way  in  which  old-fashioned  country  children  play 
this  game  (called  usually  "  Drop  the  handkerchief  "),  is  a  little 
different.  As  the  one  with  the  handkerchief  walks  around 
and  around  the  outside  of  the  ring  all  join  in  singing, 

"Atisket!    A  tasket ! 
A  green  and  yellow  basket ! 
I  sent  a  letter  to  my  love 
And  now  I  find  I  've  lost  it. 
I  Ve  lost  it !    I  've  lost  it ! 
And  where  do  you  think  I  found  it  ? 
Up  in  the  sky,  ever  so  high 
With  angels  gathered  'round  it." 

As  the  words  "  I've  lost  it ! "  are  repeated,  the  player  out- 
side must  drop  the  handkerchief,  but  no  one  must  look  behind 
him  until  the  verse  is  ended.  Then  the  one  who  finds  the 


154  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

handkerchief  behind  him  must  try  to  catch  the  first  one,  who 
in  turn  tries  to  slip  into  the  empty  place. 

Gaps 

The  players  form  a  ring :  all  except  one,  who  is  "  It."  This 
one  runs  round  the  ring  and  touches  one  of  the  players  in  the 
circle.  They  both  set  off  running  immediately  in  opposite 
directions,  the  object  of  each  being  to  get  first  to  the  gap 
made  in  the  circle  by  the  player  who  was  touched.  The  one 
who  gets  to  the  gap  first  remains  in  the  circle,  while  the  other 
becomes  "  It." 

Twos  and  Threes,  or  Terza 

A  very  good  picnic  game.  All  the  players  except  two 
form  a  large  ring,  standing  in  twos,  one  behind  another.  Of 
the  two  who  are  over,  one  is  the  pursuer  and  the  other  the 
pursued  ;  and  the  game  is  begun  by  the  pursued  taking  up  his 
position  (if  he  can  do  so  before  the  pursuer  catches  him) 
in  front  of  one  of  the  couples  in  the  ring,  thus  making  three. 
Directly  he  does  this  he  is  safe,  and  the  last  player  in  the  little 
group  at  the  back  of  him  has  to  run.  Whoever  is  caught  be- 
comes the  pursuer,  while  the  one  that  caught  him  becomes 
the  pursued  until,  by  standing  in  front  of  one  of  the  couples, 
he  transfers  that  office  to  another. 

Hide  and  Seek 

"  Hide  and  Seek,"  which  is  perhaps  the  best  out-of-door 
game  without  implements,  needs  no  explanation.  It  is  usual 
to  give  the  player  who  hides  a  start  of  as  much  time  as  it 
takes  the  others  to  count  a  hundred  in.  Some  boys,  instead  of 
counting  from  one  to  a  hundred,  divide  the  sum  into  ten  tens, 
which  are  counted  thus  :  1,  2,  3,  1,  2,  3,  1,  2,  3,  1 ;  1,  2,  3,  1,  2, 
3,  1,  2,  3,  1 ;  and  so  on.  These  can  be  rattled  through  so 


PICNIC  GAMES  155 

quickly  that  your  100  is  done  and  you  have  started  out  before, 
in  the  ordinary  way,  seventy  would  have  been  reached. 

A  customary  arrangement  to  avoid  taking  the  hiders  too 
much  by  surprise  is  for  the  boy  who  stays  at  the  base  and 
counts  a  hundred  to  call  out  when  he  finishes 


or  simply 


Bushel  of  wheat !    Bushel  of  rye  ! 
All  that  are  n't  ready  call  out  '  I ' ! " 


"One!  Two!  Three! 
Look  out  for  me  ! " 


I  Spy 

"  I  Spy  "  combines  "  Hide  and  Seek  "  and  "  Tag."  One 
player  stays  in  the  base,  covers  his  eyes  and  counts  a  hundred, 
while  the  others  run  off  and  hide.  On  finishing  the  hundred 
the  player  shouts  "  Coming  !  "  and  runs  out  to  look  for  the 
others.  Directly  he  catches  sight  of  one  of  them  (and  they 
are  not  hidden  so  carefully  as  in  "  Hide  and  Seek  "),  he  calls 
out  his  name  and  the  place  where  he  has  seen  him ;  as,  for  in- 
stance, "  Harry  !  behind  the  summer-house ! "  If  there  is  no 
mistake  and  the  name  is  right  (it  is  very  often  wrong,  in  which 
case  the  player  does  not  move),  Harry  has  to  run  out  and  try 
and  catch  the  other  before  he  reaches  the  base. 

Another  way  is  for  as  many  players  to  seek  as  to  hide. 
In  this  case  it  is  agreed  beforehand  as  to  how  many  of  the 
seekers  must  be  caught  by  the  hiders  for  the  game  to  be  won. 
If  the  number  is  given  at  four  and  four  are  caught,  the  same 
side  have  the  privilege  of  hiding  again ;  but  if  only  three  or 
a  smaller  number,  then  the  seekers  have  won  and  it  is  they 
who  hide  next  time. 


156 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


Chevy,  or  Prisoner's  Base 

There  is  no  better  running  game  than  this.  Y  ou  first 
pick  sides  and  then  mark  off  the  two  camps  and  take  up  your 
station  there.  The  field  is  arranged  thus : — 


Place  for 

A's 
prisoners. 


Place  for 
B's 

prisoners. 


A's  Camp. 


B's  Camp. 


PICNIC  GAMES  157 

The  game  is  opened  by  several  of  the  A  side  running  out 
to  some  point  immediately  in  front  of  the  two  camps.  When 
ready  they  call  "  Chevy."  As  many  of  the  B  side  then  start 
out  to  pursue  them,  each  calling  his  particular  quarry  by  name. 
The  object  of  each  A  man  is  either  to  get  back  before  the  B 
man  who  is  after  him  can  catch  him,  or  to  tempt  the  B  man 
into  ground  so  near  the  A  camp  that  he  may  be  caught.  In 
this  aim  he  is  helped  by  the  fact  that  directly  his  B  pursuer 
called  his  name  and  started  out  another  A  man  probably  called 
out  the  name  of  the  B  man  and  started  to  cut  him  off.  No  one 
is  allowed  to  be  pursued  by  two  players  at  once. 

If  caught,  the  A  man  has  to  go  to  the  place  reserved  for 
B's  prisoners.  Directly  he  gets  there  he  calls  "  Rescue  "  ;  an  A 
man  will  then  call  "  Prisoner,"  and  rush  out  to  relieve  him ; 
while  a  B  runner  is  all  ready  to  intercept  this  A  rescuer  if  he  can. 

The  game  is  good  both  for  runners  who  can  keep  it  up  a 
long  time  and  for  those  who  can  make  short,  sharp  dashes. 
The  first  named  decoy  the  enemy  out  in  pursuit,  and  the 
others  hold  themselves  ready  to  dash  across  in  front  of  the 
enemy's  camp  and  cut  off  any  one  who  is  across  the  line.  The 
rule  as  to  shouting  the  name  of  the  man  you  have  marked 
down  should  be  kept. 

If  there  is  more  than  one  prisoner  they  stand  just  touch- 
ing hands,  in  a  line  which  reaches  as  far  as  possible  toward 
their  own  camp,  so  that  the  distance  between  the  first  prisoner 
and  the  rescuer  may  be  shortened.  Each  new  prisoner  takes 
up  his  place  at  the  back  of  this  line,  farthest  from  the  camp. 
A  prisoner  is  rescued  by  being  touched. 

If  one  side  is  much  weaker  than  the  other  a  time  comes 
when  it  is  nearly  all  taken  prisoner,  with  none  to  rescue  ex- 
cept by  leaving  the  camp  undefended.  Directly  a  camp  is  left 
undefended  one  of  the  enemy  steps  in  and  "  crowns  "  it  and 
claims  the  game.  More  often  than  not,  however,  a  game  of 


158  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

'l  Chevy"  is  left  undecided.     It  does  not  matter  in  the  least, 
for  in  this  game  the  fun  is  more  in  playing  than  in  winning. 

French  and  English 

For  this  game  the  ground  must  be  divided  by  a  path  or 
line  into  two  territories  —  French  and  English.  At  the  further 
side  of  each  territory  a  number  of  flags  —  handkerchiefs  will 
do  —  must  be  placed  at  intervals.  The  players  are  then  divided 
into  the  two  nations,  and  the  game  consists  in  each  side  trying 
to  get  the  flags  from  the  other  side,  to  guard  its  own,  and  to 
catch  the  enemy  when  he  is  off  his  own  ground.  Once  a  player 
sets  foot  upon  the  enemy's  territory  he  must  go  on,  but  he  can- 
not be  caught  if  he  has  a  flag  in  his  hands.  If  he  is  caught  he 
becomes  a  prisoner  (as  in  Chevy),  and  is  only  released  by  being 
touched  by  one  of  his  own  party.  A  player  cannot  redeem  a 
prisoner  and  take  a  flag  at  the  same  time.  The  game  ends 
when  all  the  flags  of  one  side  have  been  taken. 

Black  Man 

This  is  rather  rough.  A  line  is  drawn  at  each  end  of  the 
playing  place  and  one  player  is  told  off  to  stand  between  these 
lines.  The  object  of  the  others  is  to  run  across,  from  base  to 
base,  without  being  caught  by  him  :  being  caught  meaning  not 
merely  being  touched,  as  in  "  It,"  but  being  really  held  and 
stopped.  Each  one  that  is  caught  has  to  stay  in  the  middle 
to  help  catch  the  others,  until  no  one  is  left  to  run  across  at  all. 

The  player  in  the  middle  calls  out  to  the  crowd  of  players, 
"  What'll  you  do  when  the  black  man  comes  ? "  and  they 
answer, 

"  Run  righb  through 
And  never  mind  you." 

This  is  the  signal  to  begin  each  rush  across  from  one  line 
to  the  other. 


PICNIC  GAMES  159 

Stagarino 

"  Stagarino  "  is  similar  to  "  Black  Man,"  except  that  all 
the  players  who  are  caught,  and  whose  business  it  is  to  catch 
the  others,  join  hands.  Those  that  run  across  have  therefore 
to  avoid  them  or  to  try  and  break  through  the  wall  of  arms. 

Red  Rover 

"Bed  Rover  "  is  also  similar  to  "  Black  Man,"  except  that 
instead  of  all  running  at  the  same  time,  the "  Rover "  calls 
out : — 

"  Red  Rover  !  Red  Rover  ! 
Let  (mentioning  name)  come  over  ! " 

at  which  the  one  named  has  to  run  from  one  base  to  the  other. 
If  he  is  caught,  he  must  assist  the  "  Rover  "  in  catching  the 
others. 

Hop,  Step,  and  Jump 

This  is  a  change  from  ordinary  racing.  The  competitors, 
instead  of  running  against  each  other,  see  which  can  cover  the 
most  distance  in  a  hop,  a  step,  and  a  jump,  or,  say,  three  hops, 
three  steps,  and  three  jumps.  It  needs  an  umpire  to  watch 
very  carefully  that  the  step  begins  exactly  where  the  hop  left 
off  and  the  jump  where  the  step  finished. 

Folio  w-My-Leader 

This  needs  no  explaining.  It  is  nearly  always  good  fun 
for  a  while,  and  particularly  so  if  the  leader  has  original  ideas. 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK 

ON  country  walks,  where  there  is  much  to  see,  one 
should  not  be  in  need  of  ways  to  make  the  time  seem 
shorter.     And  new   walks  in  the   town,  or  walks 
where  there  are  interesting  shop-windows,  are  not  dull.    But 
the  same  walks  again  and  again  can  be  very  tiring ;  and  it  is 
to  help  these  that   the   methods    which  follow  have  been 
collected. 

A  good  walking  pastime  for  two  is  for  one  to  drive  the 
other.  Hoops  are  a  great  help  (see  p.  169)  and  so  are  dolls' 
perambulators.  But  on  many  walks  nothing  of  this  kind  is 
allowed,  and  one  has  to  fall  back  on  conversation.  Telling 
stories  in  turns,  or  making  up  stories  about  passers-by,  is  use- 
ful, but  it  is  not  every  one  that  is  able  to  do  this. 

Roadside  Whist 

In  the  Channel  Islands  visitors  riding  about  in  large 
wagonettes  pass  the  time  by  playing  a  game  called  "  Roadside 
Whist."  The  people  on  the  left  seat  of  the  carriage  take  the 
right  side  of  the  road,  and  those  on  the  right  seat  take  the  left. 
The  conductor  teaches  them  the  rules  at  the  beginning  of  the 
drive.  In  our  case  it  is  better  perhaps  to  make  them  for  our- 
selves, to  suit  our  own  particular  country.  Let  us  suppose 
that  — 

If  you  see 

A  baby  in  arms  you  score 

A  baby  in  a  perambulator  " 


A  white  horse 

A  ladder  against  a  house 

A  woman  in  a  white  apron 

A  butcher's  cart 

A  street  gate 

A  postman 


163 


164          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Then  there  should  be  a  few  things  for  which  marks  have 
to  be  taken  off.     Let  us  suppose  that  — 

If  you  see 

A  pug  dog  you  lose  2 


A  piebald  horse 

An  open  gate 

A  flock  of  sheep 

A  soldier  " 


4 
2 
3 

10 


No  matter  what  the  score  is,  whichever  side  sees  a  cat  on 
a  window-ledge  wins  the  game. 

Counting  Dogs 

In  a  town  there  are  other  varieties  of  roadside  whist  for 
two  players  or  sides.  Counting  dogs  is  one.  In  this  game 
one  takes  all  the  streets  leading  from  the  left,  the  other  all 
from  the  right. 

Guessing  Horses'  Tails 

A  good  game  (writes  E.  R.)  while  out  for  a  walk  is  "  when 
you  see  a  horse  coming,  guess  what  color  his  tail  is  before  he 
can  reach  you,  and  then,  whoever  guesses  right,  the  horse  be- 
longs to  him." 

Shop- Windows 

Except  in  very  dull  streets  shop-windows  can  be  always 
entertaining.  It  is  interesting  to  suppose  you  have  so  much 
money  —  say  five  dollars  —  to  spend,  or,  if  you  like,  an  un- 
limited sum,  and  choose  what  you  would  buy  as  you  pass  each 
shop.  E.  H.  writes:  —  "One  little  girl  used  to  suppose  that 
she  was  the  eldest  of  a  large  family  whom  she  had  to  provide 
for,  and  was  always  on  the  lookout  for  things  in  the  shops 
that  would  do  for  her  younger  brothers  and  sisters.  For  in- 
stance, if  she  decided  that  the  family  must  have  new  winter 
clothes,  she  would  first  make  up  her  mind  how  much  she  could 
afford  and  then  price  the  things  in  the  shop-windows.  Some- 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK  165 

times  she  would  set  her  heart  on  a  particular  cloak  for  the 
baby,  but  could  not  pretend  to  buy  it  till  she  had  seen  whether 
it  would  leave  her  enough  money  for  the  other  children.  If 
she  could  get  all  the  children  dressed  fairly  nicely  for  the  sum 
at  her  disposal  she  had  all  the  satisfaction  of  a  successful  day's 
shopping.  Sometimes  the  clothes  she  wanted  were  too  dear, 
and  then  she  had  to  decide  what  was  most  necessary,  what 
she  could  make  at  home,  and  so  on." 

Making  Sentences 

It  is  rather  exciting  for  each  player  to  take  a  side  of  the 
road  where  there  are  shops  and  see  which  can  first  complete  a 
given  sentence  or  word  from  the  initial  letters  of  the  shop- 
keepers' names,  Christian  or  surname.  In  fixing  upon  a  sen- 
tence it  is  well  to  be  careful  not  to  have  unusual  letters,  such 
as  Q,  or  U,  or  J  in  it.  If  this  is  too  difficult  all  the  letters  in 
the  shopkeepers'  names  may  be  taken,  or  those  in  every  other 
name. 

Collecting  Jones's 

In  Mrs.  Meynell's  book,  The  Children,  one  little  girl  on 
her  walks  collected  Jones's  —  that  is,  shops  with  the  name  of 
Jones  over  them.  If  any  one  else  cared  for  this  amusement 
there  would  be  no  need  to  stick  to  Jones. 

The  Love  Alphabet 

In  this  game  you  go  through  the  alphabet,  applying  ad- 
jectives to  your  love.  "  I  love  my  love  with  an  A  because  he 
[or  she]  is  so  admirable "  ;  "I  love  my  love  with  a  B  because 
she  is  so  beautiful,"  and  so  on,  keeping  to  each  letter  as  long 
as  possible.  On  pages  88  and  89  will  be  found  more  difficult 
varieties,  less  suitable,  perhaps,  to  be  played  when  walking. 


i66          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

The  Cat  Alphabet 

Another  alphabet  game  requires  adjectives  to  be  put  be- 
fore the  word  cat.  You  begin  with  A.  "  An  artful  cat,"  one 
player  may  say  ;  and  the  next,  "  An  avaricious  cat."  Perhaps 
"  An  awful  cat,"  "  An  adhesive  cat,"  "  An  arrogant  cat,"  and 
"  An  attractive  cat,"  will  follow.  A  is  kept  up  until  no  one 
can  think  of  any  more ;  or  —  if  you  play  in  that  way  —  until 
no  one  can  think  of  any  more  while  ten  is  being  counted. 
Then  B :  "  A  bushy  cat,"  "  A  bruised  cat,"  "  A  bellicose  cat," 
"  A  bumptious  cat,"  and  so  on. 

Spelling 

In  this  game  the  players  each  contribute  a  letter  toward 
the  spelling  of  a  word,  their  object  being  never  to  be  the  one 
to  complete  it,  but  to  force  the  next  player  to  do  so.  Thus 
(with  four  players)  the  first  player  may  say  "  p,"  and  the  next, 
thinking  of  "  prim,"  may  say  "  r,"  and  the  next,  also  thinking 
of  "  prim,"  may  say  "  i."  But  the  fourth  player,  running  his 
thoughts  quickly  over  possible  words  beginning  with  "  pri," 
may  light  upon  "  prism  "  and  say  "  s."  This  saves  her,  but 
puts  the  first  player  in  danger,  which  is  only  averted  by  her 
thinking  of  "  prison  "  and  saying  "  o,"  in  which  case  the  next 
one  is  bound  to  be  the  loser. 

The  Grand  Mogul 

A  favorite  old  game  which  can  be  played  as  well  on  a 
walk  as  indoors  is  "  The  Grand  Mogul."  "  The  Grand  Mogul 
does  not  like  E's,"  says  one  player  ;  "  what  will  you  give  him 
for  dinner  ?  "  Each  player  answers  in  turn,  but  none  of  the 
dishes  named  must  contain  the  letter  E,  or  the  player  either 
stands  out,  or  (indoors)  pays  a  forfeit.  Thus,  the  answers  to 
the  question  may  be  "  apricots,"  "  mutton,"  or  "  soup,"  but 
not  "  apples,"  "  beef,"  or  "  porridge."  On  a  walk  the  letter 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK  167 

E  might  be  persevered  with  until  every  one  failed,  and  then 
the  other  vowels  might  be  tried. 

Buz 

This  is  a  counting  game  in  which,  whenever  the  number 
7  comes,  or  a  multiple  of  7,  such  as  14,  21,  28,  35,  or  a  number 
with  7  in  it,  such  as  17,  27,  37,  the  player  whose  turn  it  is 
must  say  "  Buz."  Otherwise,  out-of-doors,  he  loses  a  round  or 
two,  or,  indoors,  he  must  pay  a  forfeit.  When  70  comes  you 
say  "  Buz  "  in  the  ordinary  way,  but  for  71,  72,  73,  74,  75,  76^ 
78,  and  79  you  say  "  Buz  1,"  "  Buz  2,"  and  so  on.  For  77  you 
say  "  Buz  Buz." 

Rhyming  Lights 

In  this  game  one  player  thinks  of  a  word  and  gives  the 
others  a  rhyme  to  it.  Thus,  she  may  think  of  "  coal,"  and  she 
would  then  say,  "  I  Ve  thought  of  a  word  that  rhymes  to  pole." 
The  others  have  to  guess  what  the  word  is,  yet  not  bluntly, 
as,  "  Is  it  mole  ?  "  but  like  this :  "  Is  it  a  little  animal  that  bur- 
rows ?  "  "  No,"  says  the  first  player  (who  thus  has  a  little 
guessing  to  do  herself),  "  No,  it  is  not  mole."  "  Is  it  a  small 
loaf  of  bread  ?  "  "  No,  it  is  not  roll."  "  Is  it  something  you 
eat  bread  and  milk  from  ?  "  "  No,  it  is  not  bowl."  "  Is  it 
something  you  burn  ?  "  "  Yes,  it  is  coal."  The  player  who 
thought  of  "  coal "  then  finds  a  word  for  the  others  to  guess. 

The  Apprentice 

The  "  Apprentice  "  is  an  old  game  for  two  or  any  num- 
ber. One  says,  "  I  apprenticed  my  son  to  a  [mentioning  a 
tradesman  or  craftsman],  and  the  first  thing  he  sold  [or  made] 
was  a  [mentioning,  by  its  initial  only,  something  peculiar  to 
the  trade  or  craft].  The  player  who  first  guesses  what  the 
initial  stands  for  then  makes  a  similar  remark.  Thus,  one 
player  may  say,  "  I  apprenticed  my  son  to  a  blacksmith,  and 


168  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

the  first  thing  he  made  was  a  D.  K."  (Door  Knocker), 
Another,  "  I  apprenticed  my  son  to  a  grocer,  and  the  first 
thing  he  sold  was  S.  S."  (Soft  Soap).  Another,  u  I  appren- 
ticed my  son  to  a  gardener,  and  the  first  thing  he  grew  was  a 
C.  B."  (Canterbury  Bell).  Another,  "  I  apprenticed  my  son 
to  a  firework  manufacturer,  and  the  first  thing  he  made  was  a 
G.  K."  (Golden  Kain). 

» 

Towns  and  Products 

This  is  a  somewhat  similar  game  bearing  on  geography. 
Suppose  there  are  three  players.  One  chooses  a  well-known 
place,  say  Boston,  and  begins,  "I  know  a  place  where  they 
sell  boots,"  or  whatever  it  may  be  beginning  with  B.  The 
next  player  then  knows  what  letter  the  place  begins  with  and 
at  once  starts  thinking  of  what  place  it  is  likely  to  be.  Per- 
haps she  settles  on  Birmingham,  in  which  case  she  would  say, 
to  indicate  that  the  second  letter  of  the  word  was  "  I,"  "  I 
know  a  place  where  they  sell  isinglass  "  (or  icicles,  or  ingle- 
nooks).  "  No,"  says  the  first  player,  and  the  third  therefore 
has  to  try.  Perhaps  she  decides  that  the  place  is  Brighton,  in 
which  case  she  will  say,  "  I  know  a  place  where  they  sell  rock- 
ets "  (or  rump-steak  or  raisins).  "  No,"  says  the  first  player 
again,  and  then  it  being  her  turn  she  gives  them  another  light 
on  the  right  word  by  saying,  "  I  know  a  place  where  they  sell 
oranges "  (or  oil,  or  ocarinas),  and  so  on,  until  the  place  is 
spelled  through. 

Other  Games 

Other  games  suitable  to  be  played  when  walking  are  "  P's 
and  Q's  "  (p.  89),  "  Suggestions  "  (p.  91),  "  Clumps  "  (p.  93), 
"How,  When,  and  Where"  (p.  95),  "Coffee-Pot"  (p.  95), 
" Throwing  Light"  (p.  96),  and  "  Animal,  Vegetable,  and  Min- 
eral "  (p.  96). 


OUT  FOR  A  WALK  169 

Hoops 

Iron  hoops  are  the  best,  but  it  is  a  matter  of  taste  whether 
a  stick  or  a  hook  is  used  for  them.  If  the  stick  is  a  stout  one 
you  get  rid  of  the  skidding  noise  made  by  the  hook,  and 
there  is  more  satisfaction  in  beating  a  thing  along  than  in, 
as  it  were,  pushing  it.  It  should  be  every  one's  aim  to  make 
the  hoop  do  as  much  as  possible  with  as  little  treatment  as 
possible.  After  a  very  fast  run  it  is  equally  interesting  to  see 
how  slowly  a  hoop  can  be  made  to  travel.  To  make  it  keep 
as  straight  a  course  as  may  be  is  very  absorbing.  Bought 
hoops  can  be  strong,  but  to  get  exactly  what  one  wants  it  is 
necessary  to  go  to  a  blacksmith.  A  hoop  standing  as  high  as 
its  owner,  through  which  he  can  run  to  and  fro  as  it  rolls,  is  a 
possession  which  only  a  blacksmith  or  working-ironmonger 
can  supply. 

Two  in  Hoop  Games 

Hoop  games  are  few  in  number,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  "  Posting,"  not  very  exciting.  With  a  large  hoop  and  a 
small  hoop  two  players  can  learn  to  time  the  pace  of  a  hoop 
very  exactly  and  then  bowl  the  little  one  through  the  big  one 
as  it  rolls. 

There  is  also  a  game  called  "  Turnpikes,"  in  which  several 
players  and  one  hoop  take  part.  The  turnpikes,  of  which 
there  are  as  many  as  the  players,  less  the  one  who  begins  with 
the  hoop,  are  two  stones  an  inch  or  so  apart,  through  which 
the  hoop  has  to  be  bowled  without  touching,  the  faster  the 
better.  If  it  touches,  or  misses,  the  player  who  has  been 
bowling  it  gives  the  hoop  to  the  turnpike  holder,  who  then 
tries  his  fortune  with  it,  keeping  it  until  he  fails  at  any  of 
the  stones. 

Hoop  Posting 

A  very  good  hoop  game  for  several  players  is  "  Posting." 
Tfce  idea  is  that  a  distance  is  to  be  covered  (as  in  the  old  post- 


170  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

ing  days)  as  quickly  as  possible  by  relays  of  riders,  and  the 
first  thing  to  do  is  to  station  four  posts  at  various  points  along 
the  route.  Then,  when  they  are  ready,  each  with  hoop-stick 
or  hook,  the  player  with  the  hoop  starts  and  bowls  it  as  fast 
as  he  can  to  the  first  post.  Immediately  it  reaches  him  that 
post  takes  it  on,  without  stopping  the  hoop  for  an  instant,  to 
the  next,  while  the  first  one  takes  the  place  left  by  him  ;  and 
so  on,  as  often  round  the  ring  as  you  like.  When  there  is  a 
time-keeper  and  you  post  against  time  it  is  even  better  fun. 
The  advantage  of  standing  in  a  large  circle  is  that  the  hoop 
need  never  be  checked ;  but  if  the  circle  is  impossible,  you  can 
go  up  and  down  a  long  line,  with  checks  only  at  each  end. 


IN  THE  TRAIN 

Or 
DURING  A  WAIT  AT  A  RAILWAY  STATION 


IN  THE  TRAIN 

Or 
DURING  A  WAIT  AT  A  RAILWAY  STATION 

ALONG  journey  in  a  train  —  say  from  NQW  York  to 
Chicago  —  can,  even  if  you  have  a  window  seat,  be 
very  tiring ;  but  without  a  window  it  is  sometimes 
almost    unendurable.     The   hints  which   follow  are   mostly 
adapted  for  two  players,  but  one  or  two  will  be  found  useful 
if  you  are  alone  with  no  one  to  play  with. 

The  Value  of  a  Map 

A  map  of  the  country  which  the  train  passes  through  is 
an  interesting  thing  to  have  on  a  long  journey.  It  tells  you 
the  names  of  the  hills  and  villages  you  see  from  the  windows 
and  you  can  very  likely  fix  the  exact  moment  that  you  cross 
from  one  county  or  state  into  another. 

Railway  Competitions 

Two  persons  can  have  good  competitions.  They  can 
agree  beforehand  that  the  game  is  to  go  to  whichever  of  them 
sees  the  more  horses,  or  cows,  or  sheep,  or  men  driving,  or 
bicyclists,  or  rabbits,  between  two  given  points,  say  one  station 
and  the  next.  It  is  not  necessary  to  be  at  different  windows ; 
in  fact  a  new  kind  of  excitement  comes  in  if  both  are  at  the 
same  window  or  at  windows  on  the  same  side,  because  then  in 
addition  to  seeing  the  things  there  is  the  fun  of  not  letting 
the  other  think  you  have  seen  them. 

173 


174          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

Railway  Whist 

This  is  a  kind  of  "  Koadside  Whist,"  the  rules  for  which 
Will  be  found  on  page  163.  As  has  been  said  there,  most 
players  will  prefer  to  draw  up  their  own  scoring  table ;  but 
the  following  things  and  figures  may  be  found  useful  as  a 
foundation :  — 

If  yon  see  — 

A  church  it  counts        .          .  3 

A  field  with  sheep  "  3 

A  field  with  cows  "  2 

A  field  with  horses  "  4 

A  field  with  rabbits  "  3 

A  man  u  1 

A  woman  "  2 

A  stile  "  4 

An  open  gate  .  .          5 

A  shut  gate          .  "  2 

An  ordinary  dog  .  .          2 

A  sheep  dog  "  6 

A  horse  and  cart  "  5 

A  hay-wagon  "  2 

A  pond  "  4 

If  you  see  — 

A  waving  hankerchief  you  lose  .  .          6 

A  hay-stack                           "  .  1 

A  red  barn                            "  .  .  5 

A  grocer's  wagon  .  .  1 

Children  on  a  gate               "  .  .10 

Whichever  side  first  sees  a  black  sheep  wins,  no  matter 
what  the  score  is.  Otherwise  the  scorer  of  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  marks  is  the  winner.  In  "  Railway  Whist "  it  is  neces- 
sary for  the  players  to  be  on  different  sides  of  the  train. 

Station  Observation 

A  variety  of  "  Observation  "  (see  page  104)  can  be  played 
on  journeys.  While  the  train  is  stopping  at  a  station  every 


IN  THE  TRAIN  175 

one  looks  out  of  the  window  and  notices  as  many  things  as 
possible.  When  the  train  starts  again  each  writes  as  many  of 
these  things  as  he  can  remember,  and  the  one  with  the  best 
list  wins. 


Games  With  a  Watch 

II  you  have  a  watch  it  is  rather  interesting  to  guess  the 
exact  time  at  which  the  train  will  reach  the  next  station. 
The  one  who  guesses  nearest  becomes  the  holder  of  the  watch 
until  the  next  guess  is  decided.  Other  things  can  be  done 
with  a  watch,  particularly  if  it  has  a  second  hand.  Guessing 
the  length  of  a  minute  is  rather  interesting,  or  timing  the 
speed  of  the  train  by  noting  how  long  it  takes  to  go  between 
the  telegraph-poles  at  the  side  of  the  line. 

Hot-Hand 

This  is  a  primitive  game,  capital  for  cold  weather,  for  it  is 
well  named.  It  is  played  by  two  people,  one  of  whom  spreads 
out  his  hands  flat,  palms  up.  The  other  puts  his,  palms  down, 
within  about  three  inches  of  the  other's,  and  tries  to  strike 
them  a  smart  blow.  If  the  first  player  can  withdraw  his 
hands  quickly  enough  so  that  they  are  not  touched  it  is  his 
turn  to  try  and  strike.  As  long  as  the  player  whose  hands 
are  palms  down  can  strike  the  other's  hands  he  can  go  on. 
This  is  an  excellent  game  for  cultivating  quickness.  The 
player  whose  hands  are  to  be  struck  will  find  that  he  can  suc- 
ceed better  in  escaping  the  other's  blows,  if  he  watches  his  eyes 
rather  than  his  hands. 

This  can  be  arranged  among  many  players  as  a  sort  of 
tournament,  trying  out  the  players  by  couples  until  finally  the 
two  best  contestants  are  left  to  struggle  for  the  championship. 
This  is  a  good  game  to  play  while  getting  your  breath  after 


176 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


skating  —  or  at  any  time  out  of  doors  when  you  are  obliged  to 
be  quiet,  and  there  is  danger  of  getting  chilled. 

Pencils  and  Paper 

It  is  well  to  take  a  pencil  and  paper  when  you  go  on  a 
long  journey.  If  the  train  rocks  a  good  deal  it  is  interesting 
to  see  which  can  write  a  sentence  most  clearly.  There  is  a 
way  of  balancing  oneself  on  the  edge  of  the  seat  and  holding 
the  paper  on  one's  knees  which  makes  for  steadiness.  It  is 
never  too  shaky  for  "  Noughts  and  Crosses." 

Noughts  and  Crosses  or  Tit-tat-toe 

"  Noughts  and  Crosses  "  is  playable  anywhere ;  all  that  is 
needed  is  a  piece  of  paper  —  a  newspaper  will  do  —  and  a  pen- 
cil. The  framework  is  first  made.  Thus  :  — 


One  player  chooses  crosses  and  the  other  noughts,  and  the  one 
who  is  to  begin  puts  his  mark  —  say,  a  cross  —  in  one  of  the 
nine  squares.  The  other  puts  a  nought  in  another  of  the 
squares,  and  so  it  goes  on  until  either  three  noughts  or  three 
crosses  are  in  a  straight  line  in  any  direction.  Thus,  this  is 
the  end  of  a  game  in  which  noughts  played  first  and  crosses 
won: 


IN  THE  TRAIN 
X 


177 


X 


But  it  often  happens  that  the  game  is  drawn,  as  in  this 
example,  in  which  noughts  played  first :  — 


X 

o 

0 

o 

X 

0 

X 

X 

A  blank  book  for  "  Noughts  and  Crosses,"  with  the  frame- 
work all  ready,  can  now  be  obtained.  It  has  places  for  the 
names  of  the  players,  and  the  date. 

Paper  French  and  English 

"  French  and  English,"  another  game  for  two,  belongs  to 
the  family  of  "  Noughts  and  Crosses,"  and  can  be  played  any- 
where and  on  any  scrap  of  paper.  You  first  decide  which 
will  be  English  and  which  French.  Each  player  then  takes 
one-half  of  the  paper  and  covers  it  with,  say,  sixty  dots.  It 
does  not  matter  how  many,  but  there  must  be  the  same  num- 


178  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

her  on  each  side.  Then  in  a  corner  each  draws  a  cannon,  or 
draws  something  that  can  be  called  a  cannon  for  the  purposes 
of  the  game.  You  then  decide  how  many  turns  you  will  have. 
The  game  is  played  by  placing  the  pencil  on  the  cannon,  shut- 
ting your  eyes,  and  dashing  the  pencil  across  your  enemy's 
side  of  the  paper,  straight  or  crooked,  in  any  direction  you 
like.  Then  you  open  your  eyes,  count  how  many  dots  the 
pencil  line  has  passed  through,  and  score  them  down.  The 
player  who,  at  the  end  of  the  number  of  turns  settled  upon, 
has  gone  through  the  greatest  number  of  dots  is  the  winner. 

"  Letters  "  and  Words 

A  box  of  letters  is  an  unfailing  help  to  pass  the  time.  A 
word  will  sometimes  keep  a  player  puzzling  for  hours,  which 
is,  of  course,  too  long.  "Pomegranate,"  "Orchestra,"  and 
"  Scythe  "  are  good  examples  of  difficult  words. 

You  can  also  take  words  and  sentences  seen  on  the 
journey,  such  as  "  Wait  till  the  train  stops,"  and  "  Pears' 
Soap,"  and  see  how  many  words  they  will  make.  A  more 
difficult  task  is  to  make  anagrams  of  advertisements.  "  Lip- 
ton's  Teas,"  for  instance,  makes  "  Taste  on,  lips." 

"  Letters  "  With  a  Pencil 

The  word-making  game  has  been  adapted  into  a  writing 
competition.  Each  of  the  company  is  handed  a  card  which 
has  been  prepared  for  the  purpose  beforehand  by  having  names 
of  a  dozen  animals,  or  towns,  or  flowers,  or  birds,  or  whatever 
it  may  be,  written  on  it  in  what  might  be  called  twisted  spell- 
ing. For  instance,  "  butterfly  "  might  be  spelled  thus,  "  trelby- 
fut,"  and  "Manchester"  thus,  "  Tramschene."  A  certain 
amount  of  time  is  given,  and  the  winner  is  the  player  who  has 
found  out  most  words  therein. 

A  version  of  this  game  is  to  dot  out  all  the  letters  of  the 


IN  THE  TRAIN 


179 


word    except    the    first    and    the    last.       You    would    put 

"  Elephant "  on  the  paper  thus,  E t,  and  tell  your 

companion  it  was  the   name  of  an  animal.     Or  you  might 

write  "  Peppermint "  thus,  P t,  and  tell  him  it  was 

the  name  of  a  sweet. 

Hanging 

This  is  a  more  difficult  game,  very  suitable  for  a  tiring 
journey.  The  two  players  sit  side  by  side,  and  one  of  them 
dots  out  on  a  piece  of  paper  the  words  of  a  proverb  or  well- 
known  line  of  poetry.  Thus,  "  I  met  a  little  cottage  girl  " 
would  be  set  down  in  this  way  :  — 


Underneath  this  line  a  small  gallows  is  erected.    Thus :  — 


The  game  is  for  the  other  player  to  discover  the  line.  In 
order  to  do  this  he  is  permitted  to  ask  his  opponent  for  letters. 
Perhaps  he  will  begin  by  asking,  "  May  I  have  an  *  a,'  "  be- 
cause there  are  few  sentences  that  do  not  contain  an  "  a." 
His  opponent  will  then  put  the  first  "  a  "  in.  Thus  :— 


Then  perhaps  another  "  a  "  will  be  asked  for,  and  the  line  will 
come  out  thus  :  — 


i8o          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW '? 

Then  perhaps  an  "  e  "  :  — 


So  far  all  has  gone  favorably  with  the  guesser,  and  the 
gallows  is  still  untouched.  But  perhaps  he  will  now  venture  to 
ask  for  a  consonant  (which  is  much  more  risky  than  a  vowel), 
and  will  say,  "  May  I  have  an  *  s  '  ?  "  As  there  is  no  "  s  "  in 
the  line  the  reply  will  be  against  it,  and  the  opponent  will  at 
once  append  to  the  rope  of  the  gallows  a  small  head. 
Thus :  — 


This  means  that  the  guesser  has  lost  one  out  of  a  possible  six 
points,  the  others  being  his  body,  his  two  arms  and  two  legs. 
For  each  letter  he  asks  for  in  vain  he  loses  one  of  these,  and 
when  all  have  gone  he  has  lost  the  game  too.  Sometimes, 
however,  the  quotation  can  be  detected  very  quickly. 

Other  Games 

Many  games  usually  kept  for  the  house  can  be  played  in 
the  train.  "  Old  Maid  "  (see  p.  79)  is  a  good  train  game ;  so  is 
"  Buz  "  (see  p.  167).  A  "  Fox  and  Geese  "  board,  or  a  draught- 
board, will  help  to  pass  the  time. 

Food 

Food  is  a  great  help  toward  shortening  a  long  journey.  A 
little  picnic  every  hour,  if  it  is  permitted,  is  something  not  too 


IN  THE  TRAIN  181 

distant  to  look  forward  to,  and  it  may  take  up  ten  minutes 
each  time.  A  larger  meal  all  at  once  may,  of  course,  be  more 
convenient  but,  if  not,  the  hourly  picnic  is  worth  trying. 

Chinese  Gambling 

This  is  the  simplest  game  possible  but  will  while  away 
endless  hours.  It  is  played  with  nothing  but  your  hands, 
which  are  made  to  assume  three  positions :  one  with  clenched 
fist ;  one  spread  out  flat ;  and  one  with  first  and  second  finger 
spread  apart  like  the  blades  of  scissors.  The  first  is  called 
"  the  stone,"  the  second  "  the  paper "  and  the  third  "  the 


CHINESE  GAMBLING 

Yery  rapidly  both  players  strike  their  right  hand 
(clenched)  into  the  left  palm  three  times,  and  then  both  at  the 
same  instant  bring  up  the  right  hand  in  one  of  the  three  posi- 
tions. The  winner  is  determined  by  this  formula :  "  Scissors 
cut  paper.  Stone  breaks  scissors.  Paper  wraps  stone." 
That  is  if  you  have  made  your  hand  "  the  stone "  and  your 
companion  "the  paper,"  he  wins.  But  if  you  had  chosen 
"  the  scissors  "  you  would  have  won.  The  winner  must  call 
out  the  formula  that  fits  the  case,  "  Scissors  cut  paper  "  for 
instance,  and  count  is  kept  of  the  number  of  losses  and  gains. 
The  one  who  comes  out  ahead  after  a  half-hour's  contest  is  the 
winner  of  that  bout. 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES 

IN  BED 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED 

Bricks 

AMONG  the  best  toys  with  which  to  play  alone  are 
bricks,   soldiers,   balls,   battledore   and    shuttlecock, 
and  dolls.     No  one  needs  any  hints  as  how  to  play 
with  them ;  but  it  might  be  remarked  that  ordinary  bought 
bricks  being  rarely  what  they  should  be,  it  is  better,  if  possi- 
ble, to  get  a  carpenter  to  make  some  of  a  more  useful  size, 
say  four  inches  long,  one  and  a  half  inches  wide,  and  an  inch 
thick.     With  a  hundred  of  these  you  can  do  almost  anything 
in  the  way  of  building,  and  if  made  of  tough  wood  they  ought 
to  last  forever. 

Soldiers 

A  good  game  of  soldiers  is  to  see  how  many  shots  are  re- 
quired from  a  cannon  to  kill  the  whole  regiment.  The  cannon 
can  either  be  a  spring  cannon  or  a  pop-gun,  or  a  pea-shooter. 
Just  at  first  it  is  almost  impossible  not  to  clear  off  two  or  three 
men  with  each  shot,  but  later  it  becomes  more  difficult  and 
exciting. 

Ninepins 

With  a  box  of  ninepins  very  much  the  same  game  can  be 
played.  In  wet  weather,  in  the  hall,  a  box  of  large  ninepins 
is  invaluable. 


186          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW* 

Spanish  Cup  and  Ball 

A  good  quiet  game  to  play  alone  is  "  Spanish  Cup  and 
Bali."    A  long  stick  has  fastened  to  it  a  loop  of  wire  standing 


SPANISH  Cup 


out  at  right  angles,  thus.  To  this  is  attached  by  a  long  string 
a  worsted,  or  a  very  light  rubber  bail.  The  game  is  to  see 
how  many  times  you  can  throw  the  ball  up  to  the  ceiling  and 
catch  it  in  the  loop  of  wire  as  it  falls. 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED    187 

Balancing 

All  kinds  of  balancing  games  are  excellent  when  you  are 
alone  and  tired  of  toys.  There  is  no  way  to  acquire  profi- 
ciency in  these  but  by  practice,  but  practice  is  fascinating  work. 
Try  balancing  at  first  a  long  pole  (an  old  broom-stick  handle 
will  do)  on  the  palm  of  your  hand,  then  on  your  finger,  then 
on  your  chin  and  forehead.  The  longer  the  pole,  the  easier 
to  balance  it.  Kemember  one  golden  rule.  Keep  your  eyes 
on  the  top  of  the  pole. 

Then  try  balancing  a  whole  broom,  or  a  chair.  The 
practice  of  balancing  is  excellent  for  training  yourself  in 
quickness  of  eye  and  muscle. 

Of  course  bricks  and  soldiers  and  ninepins,  as  well  as 
balls  (see  p.  139),  are  more  interesting  when  more  than  one 
person  plays ;  but  one  can  pass  the  time  very  well  with 
them. 

Bruce's  Heart 

Where  toys  become  tedious,  games  have  to  be  made  up ; 
and  in  making  up  games  no  outside  help  is  needed.  At  the 
same  time,  some  games  which  E.  H.  describes  may  perhaps  sup- 
ply a  hint  or  two.  "  One  little  girl,"  she  writes,  "  used  to  find 
endless  joy  in  pretending  to  be  Douglas  bearing  the  heart  of 
Bruce  to  the  Holy  Land.  A  long  stick  in  the  right  hand 
represented  his  spear ;  a  stone  in  the  left  hand  was  the  casket 
containing  Bruce's  heart.  If  the  grown-ups  stopped  to  talk 
with  some  one  they  met,  or  if  there  was  any  other  excuse  for 
running  on  ahead,  the  little  girl  would  rush  forward  waving  her 
stick  and  encouraging  her  men  (represented  by  a  big  dog), 
and,  after  hurling  her  stone  as  far  forward  as  possible,  and 
exclaiming,  '  Lead  on,  brave  heart/  she  would  cast  her  spear 
in  the  same  direction  in  a  last  effort  against  the  Moors,  and 
then  pretend  to  fall  dead  to  the  ground."  This  little  girl  had 
found  the  story  of  Bruce  in  Tales  of  a  Grandfather,  by  Sir 


i88          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

Walter  Scott.    Almost  every  book  will  yield  people  and 
events  to  play  at. 

The  Hotel  Camps 

Another  little  girl  whom  E.  H.  knew  "  once  spent  a  short 
time  in  a  hotel,  and  while  there  divided  the  other  people  into 
camps  according  to  the  floor  on  which  they  had  rooms.  The 
designs  in  the  windows  on  the  various  floors  represented  the 
badges  or  heraldic  signs  of  each  camp.  For  instance,  one 
window  (they  were  of  colored  glass)  had  a  border  with  eagles, 
another  had  gryphons,  another  lions,  and  so  on.  If  she  met 
some  one  of  another  floor  coming  in  or  going  out  of  the  hotel, 
it  represented  the  meeting  of  two  rival  bands.  If  she 
actually  found  herself  in  the  elevator  with  them,  it  was  a 
dangerous  encounter,  in  which,  if  they  got  out  first,  she  had 
driven  them  off  the  field,  but  if  she  got  out  first  it  was  she 
who  was  in  retreat.  If  two  people  of  different  floors  were 
seen  talking  together,  a  truce  had  been  declared,  and  so 


Block  City 

The  little  book  called  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses,  by 
R.  L.  Stevenson,  has  several  poems  which  describe  how  a 
lonely  little  boy  used  to  play.  Thus  (in  "  Block  City  ") :  — 

Let  the  sofa  be  mountains,  the  carpet  a  sea, 

There  I  '11  establish  a  city  for  me, 

A  kirk  and  a  mill,  and  a  palace  beside, 

And  a  harbor  as  well  where  my  vessels  may  ride. 

Story-Books 
And  (in  "The  Land  of  Story-Books ") :  — 

Now,  with  my  little  gun,  I  crawl 
All  in  the  dark  along  the  wall, 
And  follow  round  the  forest  track 
Away  behind  the  sofa  back. 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED    189 

There,  in  the  night,  where  none  can  spy, 
All  in  my  hunter's  camp  I  lie, 
And  play  at  books  that  I  have  read 
Till  it  is  time  to  go  to  bed. 

The  Bed  Boat 

That  is  ordinary  play.  There  is  also  a  poem  descnoing 
play  in  bed :  — 

My  bed  is  like  a  little  boat ; 

Nurse  helps  me  in  when  I  embark  ; 
She  girds  me  in  my  sailor's  coat 

And  starts  me  in  the  dark. 

Thinking  Games  for  Bed 

When  more  than  one  sleep  in  the  same  room,  the  time 
before  sleep  can  be  very  interesting.  Many  games  which  have 
already  been  described  are  suitable  for  bed,  such  as  "  Telling 
Stories"  (p.  99),  "I  Love  my  Love"  (p.  88),  "Spelling" 
(p.  166),  "  The  Grand  Mogul "  (p.  166),  "  Khyming  Lights " 
(p.  167),  "  The  Apprentice  "  (p.  167),  "  Towns  and  Products  " 
(p.  168),  "Suggestions"  (p.  91),  and  "Clumps,"  adapted 
(p.  93). 

Games  by  Rote 

On  this  subject  B.  K.  L.  writes :  —  "  We  made  a  list,  which 
was  stuck  on  the  wall  with  a  different  game  for  each  night. 
One  was  *  I  Love  my  Love  with  an  A '  (see  p.  88),  which  we 
steadily  made  up  all  through  the  alphabet.  Another  was 

*  Initials,'  in  which  you  take  turns  in  saying  the  initials  of 
people  you  know,  while  the  other  guesses  the  names.    Another 
was  *  Twenty  Questions,'  in  which  one  thinks  of  something 
that  has  to  be  guessed  as  quickly  as  possible,  only  'yes'  and 

*  no '  being  given  as  answers.     One  very  girlish  game  was  like 
this :  suppose  you  had  a  little  girl  with  golden  hair  and  blue 
eyes,  and  she  was  going  on  a  visit  to  London,  what  sort  of 
frocks  would  you  buy  her  ?  " 


190          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

The  Imaginary  Family 

E.  H.  recommends  for  girls  the  "Imaginary  Family" 
game.  This  is  her  description  of  it :  —  "  First  you  have  to  set- 
tle the  names,  ages,  and  characters  of  your  family,  and  then 
you  can  carry  on  their  adventures  every  night.  One  little  girl 
who  was  devoted  to  books  of  travel,  and  who  loved  to  pore 
over  maps  and  charts,  used  to  travel  with  her  family  every 
night  in  whatever  country  she  happened  to  be  interested  in  at 
the  time.  Thus  she  and  a  favorite  son,  Pharaoh,  traveled  for 
a  long  time  in  California,  crossing  every  mountain-range  by 
the  proper  passes,  exploring  every  valley,  tracing  each  river 
to  its  source,  and  so  on.  In  the  same  way  she  traveled  with 
her  family  in  Central  and  South  America,  the  Malay  Penin- 
sula, and  the  South  Sea  Islands.  Another  little  girl  who  was 
very  fond  of  adventure  stories  carried  her  family  through  all 
sorts  of  perils  by  land  and  sea.  At  one  time  they  were  ship- 
wrecked and  lived  like  the  Swiss  Family  Eobinson.  At 
another  time  they  were  exploring  Central  Africa,  and  traveled 
about  with  three  years'  supplies  in  a  gigantic  caravan  with 
fifty  elephants.  Yet  another  little  girl  had  for  her  family  any 
characters  out  of  books  that  particularly  fascinated  her.  Thus, 
when  she  was  reading  The  Heroes,  her  family  was  reduced  to 
one  daughter,  Medea,  a  rather  terrible  daughter,  who  needed 
a  great  deal  of  propitiating,  and  for  whose  sake  all  other  chil- 
dren had  to  be  given  up.  Later  on,  when  the  same  child  was 
reading  Tales  of  a  Grandfather,  her  family  consisted  of  three 
sons,  Wallace,  Bruce,  and  Douglas.  (It  is  rather  a  good  thing, 
by  the  way,  to  have  a  very  heroic  family,  especially  if  you  are 
at  all  inclined  to  be  afraid  in  the  dark,  as  they  help  to  keep 
one's  courage  up.)  Two  little  girls,  who  lived  in  a  clergy- 
man's household,  had  an  imaginary  poor  family  they  were  in- 
terested in,  and  they  planned  about  them  every  night,  — how 
much  the  father  earned,  what  their  rent  was,  whether  the 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED    191 

mother  ought  n't  to  take  in  washing,  whether  the  eldest  girl 
could  be  spared  to  go  into  service,  and  so  on.  When  they 
were  n't  allowed  to  talk  at  night  they  carried  the  family  his- 
tory on  independently  and  compared  notes  in  the  morning." 

Making  Plans 

Making  plans  is  always  interesting,  but  particularly  so 
just  before  Christmas,  when  presents  have  to  be  arranged  for. 

For  Getting  to  Sleep 

The  favorite  way  is  to  imagine  that  you  see  a  flock  of 
sheep  scrambling  through  a  gap  in  the  hedge,  and  to  count 
them.  A  variety  of  this  is  a  desert  with  a  long  train  of  cam- 
els very  far  off,  coming  slowly  near,  and  then  passing  and 
gradually  disappearing  in  the  far  distance.  Counting  a  million 
is  also  a  good  way. 

Games  for  Convalescents 

A  good  thing  to  do  in  bed  when  getting  better  from  an 
illness  is  to  cut  out  pictures  for  scrapbooks.  Any  kind  of  cut- 
ting out  can  be  done,  as  the  scissors  and  paper  are  very  light 
and  do  not,  therefore,  tire  the  arms.  "  Patience  "  (see  page  76) 
is  also  a  good  bed  game,  because  it  needs  very  little  thought. 

Bed  Soldiers 

In  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses  there  is  a  poem  called 
"  The  Land  of  Counterpane,"  which  tells  what  a  little  boy  did 
when  he  was  ill,  lying  among  the  pillows  with  his  toys : 

And  sometimes  for  an  hour  or  so 
I  watched  my  leaden  soldiers  go, 
With  different  uniforms  and  drills, 
Among  the  bed-clothes,  through  the  hills  ; 

And  sometimes  sent  my  ships  in  fleets 
All  up  and  down  among  the  sheets, 
Or  brought  my  trees  and  houses  out 
And  planted  cities  all  about. 


192          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

China  Animals 

Dolls  are,  of  course,  perfectly  at  home  in  bed  when  you 
are  ill,  but  there  is  even  more  interest  in  a  menagerie.  On 
this  subject  it  would  be  difficult  to  do  better  than  quote  from 
a  letter  from  E.  M.  R.,  who  has  590  china  animals,  mostly  in 
families  and  all  named.  She  began  this  magnificent  collection 
with  a  family  of  monkeys. 

The  mother  was  called  Sally,  her  eldest  son  Mnngo,  the  next  Pin-ceri, 
another,  eating  a  nut,  Jock,  and  the  youngest,  a  sweet  little  girl  monkey,  Ness. 
I  was  soon  given  a  family  of  three  foxes,  Reynard,  Brushtail,  and  Whitepad,  and 
from  that  time  to  the  present  my  collection  has  been  growing.  I  soon  had 
enough  to  fill  a  shelf  in  a  cabinet,  and  I  turned  my  doll's-house  into  a  boarding- 
school  for  the  little  animals  with  a  big  pig  as  headmaster.  But  when  my  collec- 
tion rose  to  400  animals,  I  had  too  many  children  to  be  all  boarders  at  the 
school,  so  some  had  to  be  day-scholars,  and  the  headmaster  was  changed  to  a 
green  frog  who  swam  beautifully,  and  who  was  assisted  by  two  swans,  a  duck,  a 
fish,  two  crocodiles,  and  a  seal,  who  all  swam.  Another  frog  taught  the  chil- 
dren swimming  by  tying  a  piece  of  string  round  their  bodies,  and  dangling  them 
in  the  water  from  the  edge  of  a  basin. 

The  animals'  abode  was  now  changed,  and  they  were  put  into  a  large  cab- 
inet containing  six  small  shelves  and  one  big  one. 

I  called  the  big  shelf  a  town,  and  the  rest  villages.  The  town  was  called 
Weybridge :  the  village  where  the  birds  lived,  Airsbury  ;  and  that  where  the 
dogs  were,  Canistown.  The  rest  had  various  other  names.  At  this  time  an  im- 
portant addition  was  made  to  the  collection,  for  a  big  lion  was  given  me,  which 
I  immediately  created  king ;  then  came  a  queen  and  four  princesses,  and  shortly 
after  a  crown  prince:  another  prince,  and  three  more  little  princesses. 

The  royal  family  was  allowed  a  village  all  to  itself,  which  was  called 
Kingston,  and  was  given  five  servants,  two  nurses,  a  footman,  a  housemaid,  and 
a  cook. 

As  I  had  now  two  families  of  several  of  the  kinds  of  animals,  I  determined 
that  they  should  be  married,  so,  nominating  Sally's  husband  rector,  I  had  sev- 
eral weddings.  I  built  a  church  with  some  bricks  I  had,  and  formed  a  proces- 
sion up  the  aisle,  to  the  Wedding  March,  played  on  an  American  organ. 

First  came  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  then  the  best  man  and  the  brides- 
maids, and  last  the  children  of  the  animals  who  were  to  be  married,  two  and 
two.  When  the  ceremony  was  over,  I  marched  them  all  back  to  their  places  on 
the  shelf. 

I  now  made  eight  laws,  and  copied  them  out  in  an  exercise-book,  together 


PLAYING  ALONE,  AND  GAMES  IN  BED    193 

with  the  names  of  all  the  animals,  the  nnmher  of  men,  women,  boys,  and  girls, 
and  the  number  of  married  and  single  families. 

I  had  had  several  little  separate  china  animals  given  me,  belonging  to  none 
of  my  families,  so  I  made  a  law  that  if  any  family  of  their  kind  came  to  the  col- 
lection they  must  adopt  these  little  orphans. 

I  also  made  two  acting  companies,  one  of  big  animals,  and  one  for  the  chil- 
dren, with  a  boar-hound  called  Sir  Philip  of  Ravenswood  for  the  manager  of  the 
first,  and  a  little  black  and  white  kid,  named  Tim,  for  manager  of  the 
second,  and  at  the  Christmas  of  the  same  year  that  I  formed  the  two  companies 
I  had  two  plays,  the  children  acting  "Hansel  and  Gretel,"  and  the  big  animals 
4 'The  Yeomen  of  the  Guard." 

Being  now  unable  to  get  any  fresh  families  of  small  animals,  I  started  a  col- 
lection of  big  china  animals,  and  soon  had  thirty-five,  among  whom  were  a  Jersey 
bull  and  cow,  another  brown  bull  and  a  brown  and  white  cow,  two  beautiful 
horses,  several  dogs,  two  donkeys,  and  two  goats. 

These  I  kept  apart  from  the  small  animals,  in  another  cupboard ;  but  I  still 
kept  the  lion  king  over  them  as  well,  and  gave  them  two  big  animals,  a  blood- 
hound and  a  St.  Bernard,  as  governors  over  them. 

Among  the  small  animals  I  had  a  very  learned-looking  pig  called  Orsino, 
whom  I  made  doctor,  while  an  old  bulldog,  Dimboona,  to  whom  I  had  been 
obliged  to  give  two  wooden  legs,  was  Prime  Minister.  I  also  had  a  treasurer,  a 
rent  collector,  a  steward,  and  an  under-steward.  I  also  made  a  young  boar- 
hound,  called  Panther,  the  son  of  Sir  Philip,  keeper  of  the  stables,  which  con- 
sisted of  ninety-two  horses  which  I  had  made. 

And  this  brings  the  narrative  of  the  growth  of  my  china  animal  collection 
up  to  the  present  time,  when  I  have  555  small  animals  and  35  big  ones,  590 
in  all. 


AT  THE  SEASIDE 


AT  THE  SEASIDE 

Low  Tide 

THE  first  thing  to  do  on  reaching  the  seaside  is  to  find 
out  when  it  is  low  tide.     In  each  twelve  hours  low 
tide  comes  twenty  minutes  later,  and  knowing  this 
you  can  arrange  your  days  accordingly.     Nothing  is  so  sad- 
dening as  to  run  down  the  beach  in  the  belief  that  the  tide  is 
going  out  and  to  find  that  it  is  coming  in. 

Paddling 

To  boys  who  wear  knickerbockers  the  preparations  for 
paddling  are  very  simple;  but  girls  are  not  so  fortunate. 
Lewis  Carroll  (who  wrote  Alice  in  Wonderland)  took  their 
difficulties  so  seriously  that  whenever  he  went  to  the  seaside 
to  stay  he  used  to  have  with  him  a  packet  of  safety-pins  for 
the  use  of  any  children  that  seemed  to  be  in  need  of  them. 
This  piece  of  though tfulness  on  his  part  might  determine  you 
to  carry  them  for  yourselves. 

A  Cork  Ship 

Sailing  a  good  boat  in  the  sea  is  not  the  best  fun,  but 
there  is  a  kind  of  boat  which  is  very  easily  made  as  you  sit  on 
the  beach,  and  which  is  useful  to  play  with  when  wading,  and 
afterward  to  throw  stones  at.  You  take  a  piece  of  cork  for 
the  hull.  Cut  a  line  down  the  middle  underneath  and  wedge 
a  strip  of  slate  in  for  a  keel  to  keep  her  steady.  Fix  a  pieci 
of  driftwood  for  a  mast,  and  thread  a  piece  of  paper  on  that 
for  a  sail. 

Wet  Clothes 

When  wading  it  is  just  as  well  not  to  get  your  clothes 
wet  if  you  can  help  it.  Clothes  that  are  made  wet  with  sea- 

197 


198          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

water,  which  probably  has  a  little  sand  in  it,  are  as  uncom- 
fortable as  crumbs  in  bed.  There  is  no  reason  why  you  should 
get  them  wet  if  you  wade  wisely.  Sitting  among  the  rocks, 
running  through  the  water,  and  jumping  the  little  crisping 
waves  are  the  best  ways  to  get  soaked. 

Rocks 

Seaside  places  where  there  are  rocks  and  a  great  stretch 
of  sand  are  the  best.  Rocks  make  paddling  twice  as  exciting, 
because  of  the  interesting  things  in  the  little  pools  —  the 
anemones,  and  seaweeds,  and  shells,  and  crabs,  and  shrimps, 
and  perhaps  little  fish.  Sometimes  these  pools  are  quite  hot. 
To  enjoy  the  rocks  properly  you  want  a  net. 

Sand  Castles,  and  Other  Sand  Games 
To  make  full  use  of  the  sands  a  spade  is  necessary  and  a 
pail  important.  The  favorite  thing  to  make  is  a  castle  and  a 
moat,  and  although  the  water  rarely  is  willing  to  stay  in  the 
moat  it  is  well  to  pour  some  in.  The  castle  may  also  have  a 
wall  round  it  and  all  kinds  of  other  buildings  within  the  wall. 
Abbeys  are  also  made,  and  great  houses  with  carefully  ar- 
ranged gardens,  and  villages,  and  churches.  Railways  with 
towns  and  stations  here  and  there  along  the  line  are  easily 
made,  and  there  is  the  fun  of  being  the  train  when  the  line  is 
finished.  The  train  is  a  good  thing  to  be,  because  the  same 
person  is  usually  engineer  and  conductor  as  well.  Collisions 
are  interesting  now  and  then.  The  disadvantage  of  a  rail- 
way on  crowded  sands  is  that  passers-by  injure  the  line  and 
sometimes  destroy,  by  a  movement  of  the  foot,  a  whole  ter- 
minus ;  it  is  therefore  better  at  small  watering-places  that  few 
people  have  yet  discovered.  If  an  active  game  is  wanted  as 
well  as  mere  digging  and  building,  a  sand  fort  is  the  best  thing 
to  make,  because  then  it  has  to  be  held  and  besieged,  and  per- 


AT  THE  SEASIDE  199 

haps  captured.     In  all  sand  operations  stones  are  useful  to 
mark  boundaries. 

Burying  one  another  in  the  sand  is  good  at  the  time,  but 
gritty  afterward. 

Seaweed 

Seaweed  and  shells  make  good  collections,  but  there  is  no 
use  in  carrying  live  fish  home  in  pails.  The  fun  is  in  catching 
the  fish,  not  in  keeping  it ;  and  some  landladies  dislike  having 
the  bath-room  used  as  an  aquarium.  On  wet  days  seaweed 
can  be  stuck  on  cards  or  in  a  book.  The  best  way  to  get  it  to 
spread  out  and  not  crease  on  a  card,  is  to  float  the  little  pieces 
in  a  basin  and  slip  the  card  underneath  them  in  the  water. 
When  the  seaweed  has  settled  on  it,  take  the  card  out  and 
leave  it  to  dry.  The  seaweed  will  then  be  found  to  be  stuck, 
except  perhaps  in  places  here  and  there,  which  can  be  made 
sure  by  inserting  a  little  touch  of  gum.  It  is  the  smaller, 
colored  kinds  of  seaweed  that  one  treats  in  this  way  ;  and  it  is 
well  to  leave  them  for  a  day  in  the  sun  before  washing  and 
preparing,  as  this  brings  out  their  color.  Tne  ordinary  large 
kind  of  seaweed  is  useful  as  a  barometer.  A  piece  hung  by 
the  door  will  tell  when  rain  is  coming  by  growing  moist  and 
soft. 

Shell  Work 

A  good  use  for  little  shells  is  to  cover  small  boxes  with 
them.  The  shells  are  arranged  in  a  simple  pattern  and  fast- 
ened on  with  glue.  If  the  shells  are  not  empty  and  clean, 
boil  them,  and  scrub  them  with  an  old  tooth-brush. 

Good  Seaside  Friends 

So  many  interesting  things  are  to  be  seen  at  the  seaside 
that  there  is  no  need  to  be  always  at  play.  Fishermen  will 
come  in  with  their  boats,  which  need  pulling  up  ;  or  a  net  that 


200          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

has  been  dropped  near  the  shore  will  be  drawn  in  from  the 
beach,  and  you  can  perhaps  help.  If  the  town  is  not  merely 
a  watering-place  but  also  a  seaport,  it  is,  of  course,  better,  be- 
cause then  there  will  be  the  life  of  the  harbor  to  watch.  To 
be  friends  with  a  lighthouse  man  is  almost  as  good  a  thing  as 
can  happen ;  and  if  there  is  both  a  lighthouse  and  a  ship- 
builder's you  could  hardly  be  more  fortunate. 


IN  THE  COUNTRY 


IN  THE  COUNTRY 

THIS  chapter  has  been  written  more  for  readers  who 
live  in  a  town  and  visit  the  country  only  during  the 
holidays  than  for  those  whose  home  is  always  there. 
Regular  country  dwellers  do  not  need  to  be  told  many  of  the 
things  that  follow  ;  but  none  the  less  there  may  be  a  few  to 
find   them   useful.     The   principal   special  attractions  of  the 
country  are  — 

In  the  spring  .        .        .  Birds'  nests. 

"June.        .        .        .  Bee-swarming  and  hay-making. 

"July  ....  Sheep-washing  and  shearing. 

' '  August        .        .        .  Early  windfalls  and  harvest. 

"September.        .        .  |  Bl^kberr^nuts,  hops,  mushrooms, 

Making  Friends 

The  most  important  thing  to  do  when  staying  at  a  farm- 
house is  to  make  friends  with  the  principal  people.  The  prin- 
cipal people  are  those  in  charge  of  the  chickens  and  ducks,  the 
cows  and  the  horses.  The  way  to  make  friends  is  to  be  as  lit- 
tle trouble  as  possible. 

Exploration 

On  reaching  the  farm,  it  is  well  to  make  a  journey  of  dis 
co very,  in  order  to  learn  where  everything  is.  The  more  one 
knows  about  the  things  in  store — the  size  of  the  barn,  the 
height  of  the  haystacks,  the  number  of  horses,  the  name  of 
the  watch-dog,  the  position  and  character  of  the  pond,  and  so 
forth  —  the  simpler  will  it  be,  on  going  to  bed,  to  make  plans 
for  the  visit. 

203 


204          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  « 

Finding  Hens'  Eggs 

The  farmer's  wife  usually  has  charge  of  the  chickens  and 
ducks,  but  very  often  it  is  her  daughter  or  a  servant.  No 
matter  who  it  is,  as  soon  as  she  is  convinced  that  you  will  be 
careful  and  thorough  she  will  let  you  hunt  for  eggs.  This  is 
very  exciting,  because  hens  have  a  way  of  laying  in  nests  in 
the  wood  and  all  kinds  of  odd  places,  hoping  that  no  one  will 
find  them  and  they  will  thus  be  able  to  sit  and  hatch  out  their 
chickens.  The  hay  in  the  stable  is  a  favorite  spot,  and  under 
the  wood-pile,  and  among  the  long  grass.  Sometimes  one  over- 
looks a  nest  for  nearly  a  week  and  then  finds  three  or  four  eggs 
in  it,  one  of  them  quite  warm.  This  is  a  great  discovery. 
Just  at  first  it  is  easy  to  be  taken  in  by  the  china  nest-eggs, 
and  to  run  indoors  in  triumph  with  one  in  your  hand.  But 
the  farmer's  wife  will  laugh  and  send  you  back  with  it,  and  the 
mistake  is  not  likely  to  be  made  again.  After  a  while  one  gets 
to  know  the  hens  personally ,  and  to  know  the  noise  which  means 
that  they  have  just  laid.  Sometimes,  if  a  hen  is  going  to  lay 
just  as  you  come  to  her  nest,  she  will  run  off  clucking  and 
screaming  and  lay  the  egg  on  the  ground. 

Ducks'  Eggs 

Ducks'  eggs,  which  are  rather  larger  than  hens'  eggs,  and 
pale  green  in  color,  are  often  more  difficult  to  find.  They 
have  to  be  hunted  for  in  the  grass  by  the  pond. 

Feeding  the  Chickens 

The  farmer's  wife  also  lets  her  visitors  feed  the  chickens 
if  they  are  gentle  with  them  and  thoughtful.  It  needs  quite 
a  little  thought,  because  if  you  throw  down  the  grain  without 
thinking,  many  of  the  weaker  and  less  greedy  ones  will  get 
nothing,  and  many  of  the  stronger  and  greedier  ones  will  get 
too  much.  After  a  few  handfuls  you  can  see  which  are  the 
weaklings,  and  after  that  you  can  favor  them  accordingly.  A 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  205 

greedy  hen  is  so  very  greedy  that  she  will  always,  whatever 
you  do,  get  more  than  her  share ;  but  it  is  possible  to  snub  her 
a  little.  The  very  little  chickens  and  ducklings  do  not  have 
grain,  but  soft  food,  which  is  put  in  a  saucer  and  placed  inside 
the  coop.  It  is  after  they  have  finished  eating  that  they  can 
most  easily  be  picked  up,  but  one  must  be  very  careful  not  to 
squeeze  them. 

The  Dairy 

If  the  farmer's  wife  makes  her  own  butter  there  will  be  an 
opportunity  to  help  her.  Perhaps  she  will  let  you  use  the 
skimmer.  Turning  the  churn  is  not  much  fun  except  just 
when  the  butter  forms. 


Bee-Swarming 

Bees  swarm  on  hot  days  in  the  early  summer,  usually  in 
a  tree,  but  sometimes  in  a  room,  if  the  window  is  open,  and 
often  in  a  bush,  quite  close  to  the  ground.  When  they 
swarm  in  a  tree  you  would  think  a  black  snow-storm  was  rag- 
ing all  around  it.  Every  moment  the  cluster  of  bees  grows 
larger  and  larger,  until,  after  half  an  hour  or  so,  it  is  quiet. 
Then  the  swarm  has  to  be  taken.  This  is  the  most  interesting 
part,  but  you  must  be  careful  not  to  be  too  near  in  case  an 
accident  occurs  and  the  bees  become  enraged  and  sting 
you. 

If  the  farmer  has  the  new  wooden  hives  with  a  glass 
covering  he  will  very  likely  let  you  peep  in  and  see  the  bees 
at  work.  Before  doing  this  you  certainly  ought  to  read 
something  about  their  exceedingly  wonderful  ways.  One  of 
the  best  books  is  Sir  John  Lubbock's  (Lord  Avebury's)  Ants, 
Bees,  and  Wasps,  but  most  encyclopaedias  contain  very  in- 
teresting articles  on  the  subject. 


206  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

The  Cows 

The  man  who  looks  after  the  cows  is  a  very  valuable 
friend.  He  may  even  let  you  try  to  milk,  which  only 
specially  gifted  children  ever  succeed  in  doing  at  all  well ;  and 
he  will  teach  you  the  cows'  names  (in  some  farms  these  are 
painted  up  over  each  stall  —  Primrose,  Lightfoot,  Sweetlips, 
Clover,  and  so  on) ;  and  perhaps  he  will  give  you  the  task  of 
fetching  them  from  the  meadow  at  milking  time. 

Sheep 

In  a  general  way  sheep  are  not  very  interesting, 
especially  in  low-lying  farms.  But  though  sheep,  as  a  rule, 
are  dull,  there  are  two  occasions  when  they  are  not  —  at  sheep- 
washing  and  sheep-shearing.  The  washers  stand  up  to  their 
knees,  or  even  their  waists,  in  the  brook,  in  oilskin  clothes, 
and  seizing  the  struggling  sheep  one  by  one  by  the  wool,  plunge 
them  into  the  water.  Shearing  is  a  finer  art ;  but  the  sheep  is 
hardly  less  uncomfortable.  He  has  to  be  thrown  into  various 
positions  (on  his  back  for  one,  and  with  his  head  between  the 
shearer's  knees  for  another),  while  the  shears  clip-clop  all  over 
him.  The  wool  is  not  taken  off  in  scraps,  as  our  hair  is  at  the 
barber's,  but  the  whole  fleece  is  removed  in  one  huge  piece. 

The  Blacksmith 

It  may  be  that  while  you  are  at  the  farm  the  day  will 
come  for  having  the  horses  shod,  and  you  may  go  with  them 
to  the  blacksmith.  The  blacksmith  is  of  course  a  very  im- 
portant person  to  be  friends  with  ;  and  people  are  very  fortu- 
nate if  their  lodgings  in  the  country  are  close  to  a  smithy. 
Some  blacksmiths  permit  their  friends  to  stand  right  inside 
the  smithy,  instead  of  just  at  the  door,  where  strangers  have 
to  stay.  Perhaps  the  blacksmith  will  ask  you  to  blow  his 
bellows  while  he  is  making  a  horseshoe,  and  it  may  happen 
that  if  he  has  not  much  work  on  hand  he  will  make  you  a 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  207 

hoop  that  will  be  far  cheaper  and  stronger  than  a  bought  one 
( see  p.  169  ).  In  hot  weather  the  flies  are  so  troublesome  to 
horses  which  are  being  shod,  and  make  them  so  restless,  that 
some  one  has  to  stand  beside  them  and  brush  the  flies  away 
with  a  green  branch.  This  job  might  fall  to  you. 

Birds'-Nesting 

One  of  the  advantages  of  being  in  the  country  in  spring 
is  that  that  is  the  time  when  birds  build.  In  May  the  weather 
is  not  yet  sufficiently  warm  to  make  sitting  about  out-of-doors 
very  comfortable,  but  birds'-nesting  can  make  up  for  that.  It 
is  of  no  use  to  say  in  this  book,  "  Don't  take  the  eggs,"  be- 
cause it  is  possible  only  for  one  person  here  and  there  to  be 
satisfied  with  merely  finding  a  nest  and  then  passing  on  to 
find  another.  But  it  is  a  pity  for  any  one  who  is  not  a 
serious  collector  to  take  more  than  one  egg.  For  your  pur- 
poses one  is  enough,  and  the  loss  of  a  single  egg  rarely  causes 
a  bird  to  desert  her  nest.  Of  course  if  you  know  for  certain 
that  the  nest  is  deserted,  it  is  right  to  take  all.  You  can  find 
out  by  visiting  it  two  or  three  times,  and  if  the  eggs  remain 
cold  or  wet  and  there  is  no  sign  of  the  bird  you  may  safely 
feel  that  she  has  abandoned  them.  Birds  have  so  many 
natural  enemies  to  fear  that  it  is  hard  that  we  should  harm 
them  too. 

Blowing  Eggs 

For  blowing  eggs  a  brass  or  glass  blow-pipe  is  the  proper 
thing,  using  only  one  hole,  which  is  made  at  the  side  with  a 
little  drill.  But  for  your  purpose  a  hole  at  each  end  made 
with  a  pin  is  simpler  and  equally  good.  In  blowing  you  must 
be  careful  not  to  hold  the  egg  so  tightly  in  the  fingers  that  its 
sides  crush  in.  Before  making  the  holes  it  is  well  to  put  the 
egg  in  a  basin  of  water.  If  it  sinks  it  is  fresh  and  can  be 
blown  easily ;  but  if  it  floats  it  is  set  — that  is  to  say,  the 


2o8          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

young  bird  has  begun  to  form  —  and  blowing  will  be  diffi- 
cult. In  such  cases  it  is  wise,  if  you  are  using  a  blow-pipe,  to 
make  a  largish  hole  and  put  a  little  water  in  and  leave  the 
egg  to  lie  for  a  day  or  so  ;  then  blowing  it  will  be  not  much 
trouble.  But  if  you  have  no  blow-pipe  the  best  thing  to  do  is 
to  make  one  good-sized  hole  in  the  less  interesting  side  of  the 
egg,  and  empty  it  with  a  bent  pin.  Then,  when  it  is  empty, 
you  can  put  it  in  the  egg  box  with  the  broken  side  underneath. 
Country  boys  often  thread  birds'  eggs  on  a  string  which 
hangs  from  the  ceiling,  but  the  ordinary  way  is  to  put  them 
in  cotton-wool  in  a  box  with  cardboard  compartments.  Mak- 
ing this  box  is  a  good  country  occupation  for  wet  weather. 

Butterflies 

Butterfly-hunting  begins  when  birds'-nesting  is  done  and 
the  weather  is  hot.  Here  again  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this 
book  to  go  into  particulars :  the  subject  is  too  large.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  the  needful  things  are  a  large  net  of  soft 
green  gauze,  a  killing-bottle  with  a  glass  stopper,  a  cork-lined 
box  with  a  supply  of  pins  in  which  to  cany  the  butterflies 
after  they  are  dead,  and  setting  boards  for  use  at  home.  The 
good  collector  is  very  careful  in  transferring  the  butterfly 
from  the  net  to  the  bottle,  lest  its  wings  are  rubbed  or  broken  ; 
and  before  taking  it  out  of  the  bottle  and  putting  it  in 
the  box  you  should  be  quite  certain  that  it  is  dead.  The  way 
to  get  the  butterfly  into  the  bottle  is  to  drive  it  into  a  corner 
of  the  net  and  hold  it  there,  and  then  slip  the  bottle  inside, 
remove  the  stopper,  and  shake  the  butterfly  into  it.  The 
stopper  should  be  off  as  short  a  time  as  possible.  For  hand- 
books for  a  butterfly  collector  see  the  "  Heading  "  section. 

Collecting  Flowers 

A  quieter  pastime,  but  a  very  interesting  one,  and  also 
one  that,  unlike  egg-collecting  and  butterfly-collecting,  goes  on 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  209 

all  the  year  round,  is  collecting  flowers.  For  this  purpose  tin 
cases  are  made,  with  straps  to  hold  them  from  the  shoulders, 
in  which  to  keep  the  plants  cool  and  fresh ;  but  there  is  no 
need  to  wait  for  the  possession  of  one  of  these.  An  ordinary 
box  or  basket  will,  if  you  have  not  very  far  to  walk,  serve 
equally  well.  You  will  also  need  a  press,  which  can  be  simply 
a  couple  of  boards  about  a  foot  long  and  six  inches  wide,  with 
a  good  supply  of  blotting-paper  between.  The  flowers  are 
pressed  by  spreading  them  very  carefully,  to  show  their  beauty 
to  best  advantage,  between  the  blotting-paper,  and  then  piling 
a  few  books  on  the  boards.  The  weight  need  not  be  very 
heavy  and  the  blotting-paper  should  frequently  be  renewed. 
You  will  soon  learn  how  long  the  pressing  need  continue,  but 
it  is  of  the  highest  importance  that  the  flowers  are  thoroughly 
dried  before  you  mount  them  in  your  album  or  on  separate 
sheets  of  paper.  The  simplest  form  of  mounting  is  to  glue 
little  strips  of  paper  here  and  there  across  the  stems.  A  bo- 
tanical collection  is  more  valuable  if  the  roots  of  the  plants 
are  also  included ;  and  this  will  make  it  necessary  for  you  to 
have  a  long  trowel.  For  the  collector  of  flowers  a  handbook 
is  compulsory.  Such  a  book  as  Alice  Lounsberry's  The  Wild 
Flower  Boole  for  Young  People  gives  many  details  of  the 
growth  and  nature  of  plants,  told  with  a  story  that  makes  the 
book  unusually  interesting,  and  will  arouse  your  enthusiasm  to 
gather  wild  flowers  and  see  how  large  a  collection  of  them  you 
can  make. 

It  is  interesting,  if  you  have  any  skill  in  painting,  to  make 
water-color  copies  of  all  the  flowers  that  you  find :  another 
good  occupation  for  wet  days  in  the  country. 

Nuts  and  Blackberries 

In  nutting  you  want  a  hooked  stick  with  which  to  pull 
down  the  branches.  For  blackberries  a  hooked  stick  is  not  so 


210          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

important,  but  it  is  well  to  have  leather  gloves.  The  black- 
berries ought  to  be  dry  when  they  are  picked.  Rain  takes 
their  flavor  away ;  so  you  should  wait  until  the  sun  comes 
again  and  restores  it.  One  thing  that  you  quickly  notice  is 
that  all  blackberries  are  not  after  the  same  pattern.  There 
are  different  kinds,  just  as  there  are  different  kinds  of  straw- 
berry and  raspberry.  Some  are  hard  and  very  closely  built ; 
some  are  loosely  built,  with  large  cells  which  squash  between 
the  fingers  ;  some  come  between  these  two  varieties ;  and  there 
are  still  others.  For  eating  on  the  spot  the  softer  ones  are  the 
best,  but  for  cooking  and  for  jam  the  harder  ones  are  equally 
good. 

In  picking  blackberries  you  soon  find  that  it  is  better  to 
have  the  sun  at  your  back,  because  if  it  shines  through  the 
bush  into  your  eyes  you  cannot  distinguish  clearly  between 
the  shades  of  blackness.  An  open  basket  full  of  black- 
berries is  a  radiant  sight.  Each  of  the  little  cells  has  a 
point  of  light,  and  thousands  of  these  together  are  as  gay  as 
jewels. 

No  one  need  starve  on  the  open  road  in  September,  for 
there  is  food  on  every  hedge  —  two  good  courses.  Nuts  are 
there  as  the  standby,  the  backbone  of  the  meal,  and  after 
come  blackberries,  as  pudding  or  dessert.  To  pick  the  two  for 
an  hour,  and  then,  resting  beneath  a  tree,  to  eat  until  all  are 
gone  —  that  is  no  bad  way  to  have  lunch.  If  you  take  advice 
in  this  matter,  you  will  not  crack  the  nuts  with  your  teeth  but 
between  stones. 

Ponds  and  Sailing  Boats 

Near  the  farm  is  certain  to  be  either  a  pond  or  a  stream. 
If  it  is  a  clean  and  high  pond,  not  in  a  hollow  surrounded  by 
trees,  it  will  be  good  to  sail  boats  on.  Sailing  boats  on  inland 
water  is  much  better  than  on  the  sea,  because,  with  a  pond, 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  211 

directly  the  boat  is  fairly  started  on  its  voyage  you  can  run 
round  the  other  side  and  meet  it.  Even  with  a  very  poor  pond 
it  is  still  possible  to  have  a  very  good  time.  In  buying  or 
making  a  boat,  be  sure  that  the  lead  along  the  keel  is  heavy 
enough.  So  little  do  toy-shop  people  think  of  these  things 
that  they  very  often  put  no  lead  at  all  on  their  boats,  and  more 
often  than  not  put  too  little.  Once  a  boat  is  properly 
weighted  in  this  way  you  are  certain  to  have  fun  in  sailing  her, 
but  otherwise  it  will  be  useless  to  try.  In  boat-sailing  it  is 
well  to  have  a  long  stick  with  a  hook  at  the  end  with  which 
to  draw  the  ship  to  land.  For  suggestions  as  to  making  a  use- 
ful and  simple  sailing-boat  see  p.  295. 

Little  Boats  on  a  Stream 

Sailing  boats  in  a  stream  is  little  good,  because  there  is  no 
steadiness  of  wind,  but  ordinary  boats  will  float  along  in  the 
current  splendidly.  It  is  interesting  to  launch  one  and  follow 
its  adventures  from  the  bank.  Sometimes  it  will  be  caught  in 
a  weed;  sometimes  an  eddy  will  sweep  it  into  a  back  water; 
sometimes,  in  shooting  the  rapids,  it  will  be  overturned.  But 
a  long  stick  can  always  put  things  right.  Or  one  of  you  will 
go  down  the  stream  to  a  given  point  and  the  other  will  send 
down  messengers  —  pieces  of  wood,  walnut  boats  (see  p.  298), 
paper  boats  (see  p.  285),  or  whatever  it  may  be. 

A  Stream's  Fascination 

But  there  is  no  absolute  need  for  you  to  have  boats  in 
order  to  enjoy  a  stream.  There  are  so  many  other  things  to 
do,  not  the  least  interesting  being  to  make  a  dam  and  stop  or 
divert  the  course  of  the  water.  And  when  tired  of  playing  it 
is  very  good  to  sit  quite  still  on  tne  bank  and  watch  things 
happening :  perhaps  a  water-rat  will  swim  along  suspecting 
nothing,  and  then,  seeing  you  make  a  movement,  will  dive  and 


212  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

disappear,  and  suddenly  come  into  view  ever  so  far  away  on 
the  other  bank.  Perhaps  a  kingfisher  will  flash  by  or  settle 
on  a  branch  overhanging  the  water.  Kingfishers  grow  more 
rare  every  year,  owing  to  the  merciless  and  unthinking  zeal 
with  which  they  are  shot;  and  maybe  before  long  there  will 
be  no  more  to  be  seen  anywhere. 

Solitary  Watchfulness 

Indeed,  to  keep  absolutely  quiet  and  watch  things  hap- 
pening is  for  many  people  one  of  the  most  delightful  occupa- 
tions which  the  country  holds.  When  there  is  no  one  else  to 
play  with  it  is  as  good  a  way  of  spending  the  time  as  can  be 
found. 

Mice  and  Moles 

In  a  wood  or  in  any  place  where  there  are  old  leaves,  as 
in  a  dry  ditch,  you  will  usually  get  through  the  ear  the  first 
tidings  of  any  moving  thing.  For  instance,  you  will  hear  a 
field-mouse  rustling  long  before  you  can  see  its  queer  pointed 
nose  pushing  its  way  through  the  dead  leaves.  Or  it  may  be 
a  mole  blundering  blindly  along.  If  by  any  chance  a  mole  ia 
caught  in  a  trap  while  you  are  in  the  country,  be  sure  to 
examine  its  little  hands  and  feel  the  softness  of  its  fur.  Per- 
haps the  farm  boy  will  skin  it  for  you. 

Snakes 

Sometimes  the  rustling  is  a  snake  on  his  way  to  a  sunny 
spot  where  he  can  bask  and  sleep.  Yery  slender  brown 
speckled  snakes,  or  blind-worms,  are  quite  harmless,  and  so 
are  the  large  grass-snakes,  which  are  something  like  a  mack- 
erel in  lines  and  markings.  The  adder,  however,  which  is 
yellowish  brown  in  color  with  brown  markings  and  a  "  V  " 
on  his  head,  is  dangerous  and  should  be  avoided. 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  213 

Ants 

On  p.  205  is  given  the  title  of  a  book  about  bees.  Hardly 
less  wonderful  are  ants,  concerning  whom  there  is  much  curi- 
ous information  in  the  same  work,  the  reading  of  which  makes 
it  ten  times  more  interesting  to  watch  an  ant-hill  than  it  was 
before.  One  sometimes  has  to  remember  that  it  is  as  serious 
for  ants  to  have  their  camp  stirred  up  by  a  walking-stick  as  it 
would  be  for  New  York  if  Vesuvius  were  tossed  on  top  of  it. 

Swallows  and  Hawks 

In  the  flight  of  birds  there  is  nothing  to  compare  for 
beauty  and  speed  with  the  swift,  or  for  power  and  cleverness 
with  the  hawk.  On  moist  evenings,  when  the  swifts  fly  low 
and  level,  backward  and  forward,  with  a  quaint  little  musical 
squeak,  like  a  mouse's,  they  remind  one  of  fish  that  dart 
through  the  water  of  clear  streams  under  bridges.  The  hawk, 
even  in  a  high  wind,  can  remain,  by  tilting  his  body  at  the 
needed  angle,  perfectly  still  in  the  air,  while  his  steady  wide 
eyes  search  the  ground  far  below  him  for  mice  or  little  birds. 
Then,  when  he  sees  something,  his  body  suddenly  seems  to  be 
made  of  lead  and  he  drops  like  a  stone  on  his  prey.  A  hawk 
can  climb  the  sky  by  leaning  with  outspread  wings  against 
the  breeze  and  cork-screwing  up  in  a  beautiful  spiral. 

Squirrels 

The  time  to  see  squirrels  is  September  and  October,  when 
the  beech  nuts  and  hazel  nuts  are  ripe.  In  the  pictures  he 
sits  up,  with  his  tail  resting  on  his  back,  holding  nuts  in  his 
little  forepaws ;  but  one  does  not  often  see  him  like  this  in 
real  life.  He  is  either  scampering  over  the  ground  with  his 
tail  spread  out  behind  him  or  chattering  among  the  branches 
and  scrambling  from  one  to  another.  The  squirrel  is  not  seen 
at  his  best  when  he  goes  nutting.  His  beautiful  swift  move- 
ments are  checked  by  the  thickness  of  the  hazels.  In  a  beech 


214          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

grove  he  has  more  liberty  to  run  and  leap.  Sometimes  you 
will  see  twenty  at  once  all  nibbling  the  beech  nuts  on  the 
ground.  On  hearing  you  they  make  for  a  tree  trunk,  and, 
rushing  up  it  for  a  yard  or  two,  stop  suddenly,  absolutely 
still,  with  fearful  eyes,  and  ears  intently  and  intensely  cocked. 
If  you  stand  equally  still  the  squirrel  will  stay  there,  motion- 
less, like  a  piece  of  the  tree,  for  a  minute  or  so,  and  then,  in 
a  very  bad  temper,  disappear  from  view  on  the  other  side  of 
the  trunk,  and  probably,  though  you  run  round  the  tree 
quickly  several  times  and  search  every  branch  with  your  eyes, 
never  come  into  sight  again.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  sit  under 
a  tree  some  distance  from  the  beech  trees,  making  as  little 
movement  as  possible ;  and  by  and  by  you  will  cease  to  be 
considered  as  anything  but  a  regular  part  of  the  landscape 
and  the  squirrels  may  come  quite  close  to  you. 

A  Country  Diary 

If  you  are  fond  of  writing  you  might  find  a  good  deal  of 
interest  in  keeping  a  country  diary :  that  is  to  say,  a  small 
note-book  in  which  you  set  down  evening  by  evening  all 
things  seen  during  the  day  that  seemed  to  be  sufficiently  out 
of  the  way  to  be  worth  recording. 

A  Camera  in  the  Country 

Nothing  is  said  in  this  book  about  amateur  photography, 
because  to  own  a  camera  is  still  the  exception  rather  than  the 
rule,  and  if  once  we  began  to  say  anything  practical  about 
photography  we  should  have  to  say  very  much  more  than  the 
scheme  of  the  volume  permits.  But  we  might  urge  any 
reader  who  has  a  camera  .to  use  it  in  the  country  in  taking 
pictures  of  animal  life  and  old  buildings.  Old-fashioned  farm- 
houses and  cottages  are  disappearing  so  rapidly  that  we  ought 
to  keep  as  many  records  of  them  as  possible,  and  well-chosen 
photographs  of  animals  are  not  only  beautiful  pictures,  but 


IN  THE  COUNTRY  215 

are  also  very  useful.  Mr.  Kearton's  work  in  this  way,  which 
may  be  studied  in  With  Nature  and  a  Camera,  is  extremely 
valuable. 

Country  Books 

In  the  "Reading"  chapter  will  be  found  the  titles  of 
several  books  which  describe  life  in  the  country,  and  tell  you 
all  about  the  habits  of  animals,  birds,  and  insects. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 

THE  most  magnificent  ready-made  dolls'  house  in  the 
world,  with  gables  and  windows,  stairs,  front  garden, 
and  the  best  furniture,  cannot  quite  make  up  to  its 
owner  for  all  the  delight  she  has  missed  by  not  making  it 
herself.     Of  course  some  things,  such  as  cups  and  saucers, 
glasses  and  bottles,  saucepans  and  kitchen  utensils,  must  be 
bought ;  but  almost  all  the  really  necessary  things  for  house- 
keeping can  be  made  at  home. 

Dolls'  Gardens 

One  advantage  of  making  the  dolls'  house  yourself  is  that 
you  can  arrange  for  it  to  have  a  garden,  a  provision  rarely 
made  by  toy-shops.  Grass  plots  can  be  made  of  green  baize 
or  other  cloth  of  the  right  color ;  garden  paths  of  sand 
sprinkled  over  glue,  or  of  strips  of  sand-paper ;  flower-beds  of 
brown  paper,  and  the  flowers  of  tissue-paper  and  wire.  A 
summer-house,  and  a  dog-kennel  to  hold  a  china  dog,  might 
also  be  added  (see  p.  241),  and,  if  you  have  room,  stables. 

Garden  Chairs  and  Tables 

Garden  seats  and  tables  can  be  made  of  cardboard  and 
cork.  For  a  seat,  take  a  card  two  or  three  inches  long  and 
not  quite  as  broad.  Mark  it  right  across,  lengthwise,  in  the 
middle  with  a  sharp  knife,  and  then  half  fold  it.  Tbis  will 
make  the  back  and  seat.  Glue  the  seat  to  four  slender  corks 
for  legs  and  paint  the  whole  green.  To  make  a  table,  glue 
four  cork  legs  to  a  strong  piece  of  cardboard. 

219 


220  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

The  House 

A  dolls'  house  can  be  made  of  almost  any  kind  of  box. 
For  the  simplest  and  smallest  kind  cigar  boxes  can  be  used, 
and  the  furniture  made  of  cork,  for  which  directions  are  given 
later;  or  a  couple  of  lo\v  shelves  in  a  bookcase  or  cupboard 
will  do.  Much  better,  however,  is  a  large  well-made  packing- 
case  divided  by  wooden  and  strong  cardboard  partitions  into 
two,  four,  or  six  rooms,  according  to  its  size.  A  specially  made 
box  is,  of  course,  best  of  all ;  this  should  be  divided  into  four 
or  six  rooms,  and  should  have  a  sloping  roof  to  give  attic  room 
for  boxes  and  odd  furniture.  The  house  can  be  stained  out- 
side or  papered  a  plain  dark  color.  One  or  two  windows 
should  be  cut  out  of  the  walls  of  each  room  by  the  carpenter 
who  made  the  box,  and  there  must  be  doors  between  the 
rooms.  A  piece  of  thin  glass  cut  to  the  right  size  can  be  fixed 
on  the  windows  at  home.  But  before  this  is  done  the  house 
must  be  papered.  The  best  kind  of  paper  is  that  used  by 
bookbinders  for  the  insides  of  the  covers,  because  the  patterns 
used  are  so  dainty  and  small ;  but  this  is  not  always  easy  to 
get.  Any  small-patterned  paper  will  do,  or  what  is  called 
lining  paper,  which  can  be  got  in  every  color.  The  paper 
must  be  very  smoothly  put  on  with  paste.  Always  start  at 
the  top  when  pressing  it  to  the  wall,  and  smooth  it  downward 
gently.  Dadoes  or  friezes  can  be  divided  off  with  the  tiny 
beading  which  frame-makers  use,  or  with  a  painted  line,  which 
must  be  straight  and  evenly  done. 

Fireplaces 

Fireplaces,  which  can  be  bought  or  made  at  home,  should 
be  put  in  next.     To  make  one  yourself,  take  a  strong  card 
board-box  lid  about  four  inches  long  and  two  wide  (though 
the  size  must  depend  on  the  size  of  the  room).     Yery  neatly 
cut  off  a  quarter  of  it.     This  smaller  part,  covered  with  gold 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  221 

or  silver  paper,  will  make  the  fender.  Then  cut  off  both  sides 
of  the  remaining  piece,  leaving  the  strip  at  the  top  to  form 
the  mantelpiece.  Glue  the  back  of  the  cover  to  the  wall,  hang 
little  curtains  from  the  shelf,  put  some  ornaments  on  it,  ar- 
range the  fender  in  front,  and  the  fireplace  is  complete.  A 
grate  can  be  imitated  in  cardboard  painted  black  and  red. 

A  Furnishing  Game 

A  splendid  game  of  shop  can  be  played  while  the  furnish- 
ing is  going  on  :  in  fact,  from  the  moment  you  have  the  bare 
house  a  board  or  sign  with  "  To  Let  or  For  Sale  "  will  quickly 
attract  house-hunting  dolls,  and  when  a  couple  have  taken  it 
they  will  have  their  days  full  of  shopping  before  it  is  ready 
for  them.  You  will,  of  course,  yourself  be  the  manufacturers 
and  shopkeepers.  It  is  well  to  make  out  careful  bills  for 
everything  sold,  and  the  more  things  you  can  display  in  your 
show-rooms  the  better.  All  house-hunting  dolls  require  plenty 
of  money. 

Curtains 

Windows  have  been  mentioned,  but  they  are  not  by  any 
means  a  necessity.  Yet  even  if  you  cannot  have  windows, 
you  should  put  up  curtains,  for  they  make  the  rooms  prettier. 
Shades  can  be  made  of  linen,  edged  at  the  bottom  with  a  piece 
of  lace,  and  nailed  on  the  wall  just  above  the  window.  During 
the  day  these  are  rolled  up  and  tied.  White  curtains  should 
be  bordered  with  lace  and  run  on  a  piece  of  tape,  which  can 
be  nailed  or  pinned  on  both  sides  of  the  window.  They  will 
then  draw.  The  heavy  inside  curtains  can  be  hung  on  a  pen- 
cil (which  may  be  gilded  or  left  its  own  color)  supported  by 
two  picture  screws.  Fasten  these  curtains  back  with  narrow 
ribbons.  Some  dolls'  houses,  of  course,  are  fitted  with  real 
doors.  But  if  you  do  not  have  these,  it  is  perhaps  well  to 
hang  the  doorway  with  curtains,  also  on  pencils. 


222  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

Floors 

The  floors  can  be  stained  or  painted  either  all  over  or 
round  the  edges.  Carpets  are  better  not  made  of  ordinary 
carpet,  for  it  is  much  too  thick,  but  of  colored  canvas,  or 
chintz,  or  thin  felt,  or  serge.  A  rug  made  of  a  plain  colored 
material  with  a  cross-stitch  or  embroidered  pattern  around  it 
is  very  pretty.  Fine  matting  can  also  be  used,  and  oil-cloth 
is  excellent  for  the  kitchen. 

General  Remarks  on  Furnishing 

In  another  place  in  this  book  (pp.  228-233)  will  be  found 
instructions  for  making  furniture  for  very  small  and  simple 
dolls'  houses ;  but  for  a  good  dolls'  house  with  several  good- 
sized  rooms  you  would  probably  prefer,  for  the  most  part,  to 
use  bought  things.  Square  tables  are  of  course  easy  to  make 
(a  cardboard-box  lid  on  four  legs  is  practically  the  whole 
thing),  and  there  are  other  articles  which,  if  you  see  your  way 
to  devise,  are  better  made  at  home,  instructions  for  which  will 
be  found  as  you  read  on ;  but  chairs  and  round  tables  and  so 
forth  are  perhaps  most  satisfactory  when  they  come  from  the 
toy-shop.  Both  in  buying  furniture  and  in  making  it,  it  is 
necessary  always  to  remember  the  size  of  the  rooms  and  of  the 
dolls,  and  the  size  of  whatever  furniture  you  may  already 
have,  so  as  to  keep  everything  in  proportion. 

Beds 

Beds  can  be  made  of  cardboard-boxes  of  different  sizes. 
The  box  turned  upside  down  makes  the  bed  itself,  and  the 
cover  should  be  fixed  upright  behind  it  for  curtains  to  hang 
from.  These  curtains  and  the  frill  round  the  bed  should  be 
made  of  any  thin  material,  such  as  muslin.  The  mattress, 
bolster,  and  pillows  are  best  made  of  cotton-wool  covered  with 
muslin  or  calico.  Sheets  may  be  made  also  out  of  muslin ; 
pillow-cases  should  be  edged  with  lace ;  for  blankets  you  use 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


223 


flannel,  button-hole-stitched  round  with  colored  silk  or  wool, 
and  the  quilt  will  look  best  if  made  of  a  dainty  piece  of  silk, 
or  muslin  over  a  colored  sateen  to  match  the  curtains.  A  tiny 


CARDBOAED  Box  BEDS 

nightdress  case  should  not  be  forgotten.  Beds  for  doll  chil- 
dren can  be  made  in  the  same  way  out  of  match-boxes ;  and 
for  cozy  little  cots  for  babies  there  are  walnut  shells. 

Bead  Furniture 

Chairs  can  be  made  with  wire,  beads,  a  little  silk  or  cot- 
ton material,  some  cardboard  and  cotton-wool.    To  make  a 


224  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

chair  in  this  way,  cut  a  piece  of  cardboard  the  size  that  you 
want  the  seat  to  be.  Lay  a  good  wad  of  cotton-wool  over  it, 
and  then  cover  it  neatly.  On  a  piece  of  strong  wire  thread 
enough  beads  to  go  round  the  seat  of  the  chair.  Sew  this 
firmly  to  the  seat.  Then  thread  beads  on  four  pieces  of  wire 
the  right  length  for  the  legs,  and  leave  a  little  piece  of  wire 
with  which  to  fasten  them  to  the  wire  round  the  seat.  Then 
make  the  back  from  a  longer  piece  of  wire,  bent  into  shape 
and  attached  to  the  seat  in  the  same  way,  and  put  a  short  row 
of  beads  across  the  middle.  You  will  need  a  pair  of  tweezers 
to  cut  the  wire  and  to  finish  the  fastening  securely. 

Pictures 

Pictures  for  the  walls  can  be  made  very  easily.  The  pic- 
ture itself  will  be  a  scrap  or  tiny  photograph.  This  is  pasted 
on  a  piece  of  cardboard  larger  than  itself,  and  round  the  edge 
of  that  you  place  a  strip  of  whatever  colored  paper  you  want 
for  the  frame.  The  picture  cord,  a  piece  of  cotton,  can  be 
glued  on  the  back.  More  elaborate  frames  are  cut  out  of 
cardboard  and  bound  round  with  colored  silk  and  covered 
with  gold  paint.  The  picture  is  then  stuck  into  it. 

Bookshelves  and  Books 

The  simplest  bookshelves  are  those  that  hang  from  a  nail 
on  the  wall.  They  are  made  by  cutting  two  or  three  strips  of 
cardboard  of  the  size  of  the  shelves  and  boring  holes  at  the 
corners  of  each.  These  are  then  threaded  one  by  one  on  four 
lengths  of  silk  or  fine  string,  knots  being  tied  to  keep  the 
shelves  the  right  distance  apart.  Care  has  to  be  taken  to  get 
the  knots  exactly  even,  or  the  shelf  will  be  crooked. 

Books  can  be  made  by  sewing  together  a  number  of  tiny 
sheets  of  paper,  with  a  colored  cover  and  a  real  or  invented 
title.  Sometimes  these  books  contain  real  stories. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  225 

Other  Articles 

A  dolls'  house  ought  to  be  as  complete  as  possible,  and 
though  this  will  take  a  long  time  it  is  absorbingly  interesting 
work  from  start  to  finish.  It  should  be  the  ambition  of  the 
mistress  of  a  dolls'  house  to  have  it  as  well  furnished  as  the 
house  of  a  grown-up  person,  and  if  she  looks  round  the  rooms 
in  her  own  home  carefully  she  will  see  how  many  things  can 
be  copied.  There  will  be  cushions  to  make,  fancy  table-cloths 
for  different  tables,  toilet-covers  and  towels  for  the  bedroom, 
splashers  to  go  behind  wash-stands,  mats  in  front  of  them,  and 
roll-towels  and  kitchen  cloths  for  the  kitchen. 

Everything  should  be  made  of  the  thinnest  and  finest 
material,  cut  with  the  greatest  care  and  sewn  with  the  tiniest 
stitches.  Light  and  dainty  colors  are  best  for  a  dolls'  house. 
If  you  have  several  rooms,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  pink 
room,  a  blue  room,  a  yellow  room,  and  in  each  room  to  have 
everything  of  different  shades  of  that  color  and  white.  Per- 
haps no  material  is  so  useful  to  the  owner  of  a  dolls'  house  as 
art  muslin.  It  is  soft,  cheap,  and  very  pretty. 

Coming  to  other  furniture  which  can  be  made  at  home,  we 
find  screens  (made  of  cardboard  and  scraps),  music  for  the 
piano,  walking-sticks,  flowers  (made  of  colored  tissue-paper  and 
wire),  flower-pots  (made  of  corks  covered  with  red  paper),  cup- 
boards to  keep  linen  and  glass  in  (made  out  of  small  card- 
board boxes,  fitted  with  shelves),  and  many  other  little  things 
which,  if  you  look  round  your  own  home  carefully,  will  be 
suggested  to  you.  Even  bicycles  can  be  imitated  in  cardboard 
and  placed  in  the  hall. 

The  Inhabitants 

As  to  dolls,  the  more  the  merrier.  They  are  so  cheap  and 
can  be  dressed  so  easily  that  it  seems  a  great  pity  not  to  have 
a  large  family  and  a  larger  circle  of  friends  who  will  occa- 


226  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

sionally  visit  them.  There  must  be  a  father  and  a  mother,  a 
baby  and  some  children,  servants  (in  stiff  print  dresses  with 
caps  and  aprons),  and  certainly  a  bride,  who,  if  her  dress  can- 
not be  changed  for  an  ordinary  one,  ought  to  be  kept  care- 
fully hidden,  except  when  there  is  a  wedding. 


Dressing  Dolls 

It  is  rather  difficult  to  dress  these  tiny  dolls  so  that  their 
clothes  will  take  off  and  on,  but  it  is  much  better  to  do  so  if 
possible.  In  any  case  they  can  have  capes  and  hats  which 
take  off.  The  thinnest  materials  make  the  best  underclothes, 
but  stiff  material  for  dresses  makes  it  possible  to  stand  the 
dolls  up.  Glove  buttons,  and  the  narrowest  ribbons,  tapes, 
and  laces,  are  useful  things  to  have  when  you  are  dressing 
dolls'-house  dolls. 

Dolls'  Dinner  Parties 

Dolls  occasionally  require  parties.  The  food  may  be  real 
or  imitation.  If  real,  —  such  as  currants  and  raisins,  sugar  and 
candied  peel,  —  it  is  more  amusing  at  the  moment ;  but  if  imi- 
tation, you  have  a  longer  time  of  interest  in  making  it.  Get 
a  little  flour,  and  mix  it  with  salt  and  water  into  a  stiff  paste, 
like  clay.  Then  mould  it  to  resemble  a  round  of  beef,  a 
chicken,  a  leg  of  mutton,  potatoes,  pies,  or  whatever  you  want, 
and  stand  it  in  front  of  the  fire  to  dry.  When  dry,  paint  (in 
water-color)  to  resemble  these  things  still  more.  If  there  is 
clay  in  the  garden,  you  can  make  all  these  things  from  that, 
and  many  others  too. 

Dolls'  Flats 

Just  as  people  live  not  only  in  houses  but  in  flats,  so  may 
there  be  dolls'  flats  as  well  as  dolls'  houses.  A  dolls'  flat  con- 
sists of  a  board  on  which  the  outline  of  the  rooms  is  made 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


227 


with  single  bricks.     For  example,  a  four-roomed  flat  might  be 
arranged  like  this  — 


ii     ii     i    r     r 

I      \:      \       \      T  .   1 

"i 

Kitchen 

tf.^ 

- 

I    "I          1          1       {        !         |:v.;.r 

•M 

TJ  -*  "»7                "D  «                                 S^C^T'OO'T 

rz<3d6          /coo/rt     *-* 

DD 

•:i    i  ^     i     \    \    \    i    u 

A  DOLL'S  APARTMENTS 

To  lay  the  bricks  on  a  board  is  not  necessary.  They  can  be 
laid  on  the  floor  equally  well,  except  that  when  you  have  done 
playing  you  will  have  then  to  put  them  away  again,  whereas 
if  placed  on  a  board  they  can  be  left  till  next  time.  Nor  is 
there  any  reason  why  the  walls  should  not  be  higher  than  a 
single  brick ;  that  is  merely  a  matter  of  taste.  Once  the  walls 
are  ready  the  furniture  and  dolls  can  be  put  in  in  the  ordinary 
way. 

Smaller  Dolls'  Houses 

So  far  we  have  been  considering  larger  dolls'  houses. 
But  there  are  also  smaller  ones,  which  naturally  require  much 
smaller  furniture.  These  dolls'  houses  can  be  made  of  card- 
board (as  described  on  p.  237  and  on),  or  they  can  be  merely 
small  boxes  —  even  cigar  boxes ;  and  the  dolls  and  furniture  in 
them  can  be,  if  you  like,  all  paper,  or  made  of  materials  in 
ways  that  are  now  suggested. 


228  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

Cork  and  Match-box  Furniture 

This  furniture,  if  very  neatly  made,  can  be  very  successful, 
and  it  costs  almost  nothing.  Plain  pins  will  do  quite  well, 
although  the  fancy  ones  are  much  prettier.  Velvet  or  thin 
cloth  is  best  for  the  dining-room  furniture ;  silk  for  the  draw- 
ing room  ;  and  some  light-colored  cotton  material  for  the  bed- 
rooms. 

Materials 
You  will  need  — - 

Several  good-sized  corks,  or  pickle  corks,  for  the  larger  things. 
Some  pieces  of  fancy  silk  or  velvet. 

A  number  of  strong  pins  of  different  sizes.     (The  fancy  pins  with  large  white, 
black,  and  colored  heads  are  best.) 

Some  wool,  silk,  or  tinsel  which  will  go  well  with  the  silk  or  velvet. 
A  strong  needle  and  a  spool  of  cotton. 

Chairs 

Cut  a  round  or  square  piece  of  cork  about  quarter  of  an 
inch  thick  and  one  inch  across.  Cover  it  with  a  piece  of  silk 


CORK  ARM-CHAIR 

or  velvet,  making  all  the  stitches  on  that  side  of  the  cork 
which  will  be  the  under  side  of  the  seat.     For  the  legs  put  a 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  229 

pin  firmly  into  each  corner.  Wind  a  little  wool  or  silk  firmly 
round  each  leg,  finishing  it  off  as  neatly  as  possible.  The 
back  of  the  seat  is  made  by  sticking  four  pins  rather  closely 
together  and  winding  the  wool  or  silk  in  and  out  of  them. 
Fasten  the  wool  with  a  tiny  knot  both  when  you  begin  wind- 
ing and  when  you  finish.  Armchairs  are  made  in  the  same 
way,  except  that  they  are  rather  larger,  and  arms  —  made  of 
small  pins  —  are  added. 

Chestnut  Chairs 

Yery  good  dining-room  chairs  can  be  made  of  chestnuts. 
The  flatter  side  of  the  nut  is  the  seat,  and  in  this  are  stuck 


CHESTNUT  CHAIE 

pins  for  the  back  (and  arms  if  necessary),  which  maybe  bound 
together  with  gold  or  silver  tinsel.  Other  pins  are  stuck  in 
underneath  for  legs. 

Sofas 

For  a  sofa  a  piece  of  cork  about  two  inches  long  and  half 
an  inch  thick  is  needed.  This  must  be  covered,  and  then 
quite  short  pins  stuck  in  for  legs.  Put  a  row  of  short  pins 


230          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

along  one  side  and  the  two  ends,  and  wind  the  wool  neatly  in 
and  out  of  them. 

Tables 

Bound  tables  can  be  made  best  of  different-sized  pieces  of 
cork,  with  very  strong  pins  for  legs ;  and  square  ones  of  the 
outside  of  a  wooden  match-box,  with  four  little  medicine- 


FANCY  TABLE 

bottle  corks  glued  under  it  for  legs.  In  either  case  it  is 
most  important  to  have  the  legs  well  fixed  on  and  of  exactly 
the  same  length.  It  is  not  necessary  to  cover  a  table,  but  a 
table-cloth  of  silk,  either  fringed,  or  hemmed  with  tiny  stitches, 
and  a  white  table-cloth  for  meals,  should  be  made. 

Fancy  tables  can  be  made  by  taking  a  flat  round  cork 
and  sticking  pins  into  it  at  regular  intervals  all  round.  Weave 
silk  or  tinsel  in  and  out  of  the  pins  until  they  are  covered. 
(See  above.) 

Foot-Stools 

Several  small  pieces  of  cork  may  be  covered  to  make 
foot-stools. 

Standard  Lamp 

A  serviceable  standard  lamp  can  be  made  by  taking  a 
small  empty  cotton  spool,  gilding  or  painting  it,  and  fixing 
the  wooden  part  of  a  thin  penholder  firmly  into  it.  On  the 
top  of  it  glue  a  round  piece  of  cork,  on  which  a  lamp-shade, 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  231 

made  of  one  of  the  little  red  paper  caps  that  chemists  put  on 
bottles,  can  be  placed. 

Bedroom  Furniture  —  Materials 
You  will  need  — 

Two  large  wooden  match-boxes. 
Several  corks  of  different  sizes. 

Some  pieces  of  chintz,  of  cotton  material,  flannel,  linen,  oil-cloth,  and  a 
little  cottou-wool. 

An  empty  walnut  shell. 

Several  wooden  matches  with  the  heads  taken  off. 

Pins  of  different  sizes. 

Wool,  silk  or  tinsel,  for  the  backs  of  the  chairs. 

A  tube  of  glue. 

Beds 

To  make  a  bed,  take  the  inside  of  a  match-box  and  cut 
away  the  bottom  of  it.  Then  take  two  matches  and  glue 
them  to  the  two  corners  at  the  head  of  the  bed  so  that  a  por. 


MATCH-BOX  BEDSTEAD 

tion  sticks  out  below  the  bed  for  legs  and  above  the  bed  for  a 
railing.  Cut  two  more  matches  to  the  same  length  as  these 
others,  less  the  part  of  them  that  serves  for  legs,  and  fasten 


232  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

these  at  equal  distances  from  each  other  and  from  the  two 
others  already  glued  in  position.  Along  the  top  of  these 
place  another  match  for  a  rail,  and  the  head  of  the  bed  is 
done.  For  the  foot  of  the  bed  repeat  these  operations  ex- 
actly, except  that  all  the  upright  matches  must  be  a  little 
shorter.  Then  cut  off  one  end  of  the  bottom  of  the  box  and 
fit  it  in  to  form  the  part  of  the  bed  that  takes  the  mattress. 
The  bedstead,  when  made,  should  be  like  the  one  in  the  ac- 
companying picture.  A  little  mattress  must  now  be  made  to 
fit  the  bed  exactly ;  it  can  be  stuffed  with  cotton- wool  or 
bran.  A  pillow,  blankets,  sheets,  and  a  fancy  coverlet  may 
also  be  made,  and  a  very  thin  and  tiny  frill  should  be  put 
right  round  the  bed  to  hide  the  box. 

A  very  pretty  baby's  cradle  can  be  made  out  of  half  a 
walnut  shell.  It  should  be  lined,  and  curtains  should  be 
hung  from  a  match  fastened  upright  at  one  end  of  the  shell. 

Dressing-Tables 

The  outside  of  the  same  match-box  that  was  used  for  the 
bed  will  make  a  dressing-table.  Stand  it  up  on  either  side  of 
its  striking  sides,  and  glue  or  sew  a  piece  of  light-colored  thin 
material  all  round  it,  and  then  over  this  put  a  muslin  frill. 
Make  a  little  white  cloth  to  lay  on  the  top  of  the  table.  The 
looking-glass  is  made  by  fixing  a  square  of  silver  paper  in  a 
cardboard  frame. 

Washstands 

Take  the  inside  of  another  match-box  and  stand  it  up  on 
one  of  its  sides.  Then  take  five  or  six  matches  and  cut  them 
to  that  length  which,  when  they  are  glued  in  an  upright  row 
at  equal  distances  apart  to  the  back  of  the  match-box,  will 
cause  them  to  stand  up  above  the  top  of  it  about  a  third  of  an 
inch.  On  the  tops  of  them  then  lay  another  match  to  make  a 
little  railing.  Cover  the  box  as  you  did  the  dressing-table. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


233 


Put  a  little  mat  of  oil-cloth  on  the  top  of  the  box,  and  make 
another  large  one  to  lay  in  front  of  it.     Proper  jugs  and 


MATCH-BOX  WASHSTAND 

basins  will,  of  course,  have  to  be  bought,  but  an  acorn  cup  or 
small  shell  makes  a  very  good  toy  basin. 

Wardrobes 

The  wardrobe  is  made  by  standing  the  inside  of  a  match- 
box on  end,  fixing  inside  several  little  pegs  made  of  small 
pieces  of  match  stuck  in  with  glue,  and  hanging  two  little 
curtains  in  front  of  it.  If,  when  done,  it  seems  too  low,  it 
may  be  raised  on  four  little  corks. 

Towel-Rack 

A  towel-horse  can  easily  be  made  with  six  long  pins  and 
two  small  pieces  of  cork. 


TOWEL  RACK 


234          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Clothes-Basket 

To  make  a  clothes-basket,  take  a  round  piece  of  cork 
about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  and  stick  pins  closely  together 


CLOTHES  BASKET 

all  round  it,  as  in  the  above  picture.    Then  weave  wool  in 
and  out  of  them. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  AND  DOLLS  OF 
CARDBOARD  AND  PAPER 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  AND  DOLLS  OF 
CARDBOARD  AND  PAPER 

ACAKDBOAED  house,  furnished  with  paper  furniture 
and  occupied  by  paper  dolls,  is  a  very  good  substitute 
for  an  ordinary  dolls'  house,  and  the  making  of  it  is 
hardly  less  interesting.     The  simplest  way  to  make  a  card- 
board house  is  to  cut  it  all  (with  the  exception  of  the  parti- 
tion and  the  roof)  in  one  piece. 

The  plan  given  here  is  for  a  two-roomed  cottage,  the 
measurements  for  which  can  be  multiplied  to  whatever  size 
you  like  (or  whatever  is  the  utmost  that  your  sheet  of  card- 
board will  permit).  The  actual  model  from  which  this  plan 
was  made  (the  house  was  built  from  a  royal  sheet  of  Bristol 
board)  had  a  total  floor  measurement  of  8  inches  by  14.  The 
end  walls  were  5  inches  high,  the  side  walls  5  inches,  sloping 
up  to  7  in  the  middle,  and  the  partition  was  7  inches.  The 
roof  was  slightly  wider  than  the  floor,  in  order  to  make  wide 
eaves,  and  as  much  longer  as  was  needful  not  only  for  the 
eaves  but  also  to  allow  for  the  angle. 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  rule  the  outline  of  the  cottage. 
All  the  measurements  must  be  most  accurately  made,  as  the 
slightest  incorrectness  will  keep  the  house  from  fitting  together 
properly.  Then  cut  it  out.  When  this  is  done,  draw  the  win- 
dows and  doors.  Then  lay  your  cardboard  on  a  board,  and 
run  your  knife  along  each  side  of  the  windows  and  the  three 
free  sides  of  the  doors  until  the  card  is  cut  through.  A  ruler 
held  close  to  the  penciled  line  will  make  your  knife  cut 
straight.  The  bars  across  the  windows  can  be  made  of  strips 
of  paper  glued  on  afterward.  If  the  doors  have  a  tiny 
piece  shaved  off  each  of  the  cut  sides,  they  will  open  and  shut 
easily. 

237 


238  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW <? 

To  make  the  front  door  open  well,  outward,  the  hinge 
line  of  the  door  (KK)  should  be  half  cut  through  on  the  inside. 
The  hinge  can  be  strengthened  by  gluing  a  narrow  strip  of 
paper  or  linen  along  it.  At  the  three  points  marked  H  make 
small  slits  through  which  to  put  the  tags,  marked  G,  of  the 
partition  wall. 

All  drawing  and  painting  must  be  done  on  both  sides 
while  the  house  is  still  flat.  The  doors  inside  will  need 
handles  and  keyholes.  Small  pieces  of  mica  can  be  glued 
over  the  windows  instead  of  glass. 

Little  curtains  of  crinkly  tissue-paper  can  also  be  made, 
and,  if  you  like,  the  walls  can  easily  be  papered  with  colored 
paper  pasted  on.  This  will  cause  some  delay,  however,  for  it 
must  be  well  pressed.  Instead,  wall-paper  patterns  could  be 
painted  on. 

Outside  —  that  is,  on  the  underside  of  the  cardboard  — 
there  is  a  great  deal  to  do.  Both  walls  and  roof  can  be 
painted,  and  tiles,  bricks,  and  creepers  imitated.  The  front 
door  should  have  a  knocker  and  a  letter-box,  and  around  both 
the  door  and  the  windows  should  be  imitation  framework. 
As  the  upright  joints  of  the  four  walls  will  be  made  of  linen 
painted  to  imitate  brick- work  or  stone- work,  you  need  not 
carry  the  painting  of  the  walls  quite  to  the  edges,  because 
these  will  be  covered  by  the  joints.  It  is  best  to  paint  the 
joints  before  you  stick  them  on. 

Before  turning  the  card  over  again,  run  your  knife  along 
the  four  sides  of  the  floor  to  assist  the  bending  up  of  the  walls. 
Do  not  on  any  account  cut  through  ;  merely  make  a  half  cut. 

When  you  have  drawn  and  painted  all  you  can  think  of 
to  make  the  house  complete  and  pretty,  take  your  strips  of 
linen,  for  the  fastening  of  the  walls,  crease  them  in  half, 
lengthwise,  and  glue  one  half  to  the  outside  of  the  edge  of  the 
walls  marked  CB  and  DE  in  the  plan.  When  this  is  quite 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


CARDBOARD  DOLLS'  HOUSE 


240  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

dry,  bend  the  back  wall  and  the  two  side  walls  up,  and  glue 
the  free  sides  of  the  strips  to  the  wall  marked  AB  and  EF, 
holding  the  walls  firmly  together  until  well  stuck.  Strengthen 
the  fold  LM,  which  has  to  serve  as  a  hinge  for  the  front  of 
the  house,  with  a  strip  of  linen  glued  underneath.  The 
sides  of  the  front  wall  must  remain  unattached,  as  that  forms 
the  opening.  It  can  be  kept  closed  by  a  strong  pin  slipped 
through  the  roof. 


APPEARANCE  OF  HOUSE  WHEN  COMPLETE 

The  Partition 

Now  for  the  partition.  Put  the  three  tags  G  G  G 
through  the  slits  H  H  H  and  glue  them  firmly  down  on  the 
outside.  (These  will  have  to  be  touched  up  with  paint.)  The 
roof  must  then  be  put  on.  Cut  out  a  slit  N  an  inch  long  to  fit 
the  tag  on  the  partition,  also  marked  N.  Run  your  knife 
along  the  dotted  line  underneath,  and  fold  it  to  the  necessary 
angle  to  fit  the  sloping  walls.  Where  the  roof  touches  the 
end  walls  it  must  be  fastened  on  with  strips  of  linen  or  paper, 
which  have  been  folded  in  the  same  way  as  before  and  one 
half  fastened  securely  to  the  walls.  It  is  important  to  let  it 
get  quite  dry  before  gluing  the  other  half  to  the  roof. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


I. 


DOG  KENNEL  (Fig.  1)  AND  ROOF  (Fig.  2) 


242  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

The  Chimney 

The  chimney,  of  which  the  illustration  is  the  actual  size, 
is  the  last  thing  to  be  made.  First  paint,  and  then  fold  the 
two  side  pieces  downward,  cut  out  the  three  little  holes 
and  put  into  them  three  chimneys,  made  by  folding  small 
pieces  of  paper,  painted  red,  round  a  penholder,  and  gluing 
their  edges  together.  The  chimney  is  fixed  to  the  sloping 
roof  with  very  small  pieces  of  glued  paper.  Kemember 
that  all  the  pieces  of  paper  used  as  fastening  ought  to  be 
touched  up  with  paint.  The  chimney  in  the  drawing  of  the 
complete  house  on  page  240  is  put  at  the  side  of  the  roof,  but 
it  may  even  better  go  in  the  middle. 

The  Garden 

The  cottage  can  then  be  fixed  to  a  piece  of  wood  or  paste- 
board, to  form  its  garden  and  add  to  convenience  in  moving  it 
about.  A  cardboard  fence  and  gate  can  be  cut  out  and 
painted  green.  A  path  to  the  front  door  is  made  by  covering 
a  narrow  space  of  the  cardboard  with  very  thin  glue  over 
which,  while  it  is  wet,  sand  is  sprinkled  to  imitate  gravel. 
Moss  will  do  for  evergreens,  and  grass  plots  can  be  made  of 
green  cloth.  A  summer-house,  garden  chairs  and  tables  are 
easily  cut  out  of  cardboard.  So  also  are  a  rabbit-hutch, 
pump,  dove-cot,  and  dog-kennel.  A  plan  of  a  dog-kennel, 
actual  size,  is  given. 

Another  Way 

It  is,  of  course,  possible  to  make  a  house  of  several  pieces 
instead  of  one.  The  walls  and  floors  can  be  made  separately 
and  joined  with  linen  strips ;  but  this  adds  to  the  difficulty  of 
the  work  and  causes  the  houses  to  be  less  steady.  Cardboard 
bouses  can  also  be  made  with  two  floors. 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  243 

"  The  House  That  Glue  Built " 

A  novel  kind  of  paper  house  has  been  gotten  out  in  book 
form.  It  is  called  The  House  That  Glue  Built^  and  consists 
of  pictures  of  rooms,  without  furniture,  which  is  shown  on 
separate  sheets.  The  object  is  to  cut  out  the  furniture,  ar- 
range it  and  paste  it  in  its  proper  place.  The  illustration 
shows  the  library,  and  the  furniture  for  it.  There  is  also  a 
sheet  of  dolls  to  be  cut  out,  who  represent  the  owners  of  the 
house.  Two  other  books  on  the  same  order  are  The  Fun 
That  Glue  Made  and  Stories  That  Glue  Told.  They  are  all 
easily  put  together,  and  are  lots  of  fun. 

Paper  Furniture 

Everything  required  for  the  furnishing  and  peopling  of  a 
cardboard  dolls'  house  can  be  made  of  paper;  and  if  colored  at 
all  cleverly  the  furniture  will  appear  to  be  as  solid  as  that  of 
wood.  After  cutting  out  and  joining  together  one  or  two  of 
the  models  given  in  the  pages  that  follow,  and  thus  learning 
the  principle  on  which  ^aper  furniture  is  made,  you  will  be 
able  to  add  all  kinds  of  things  to  those  mentioned  here  or  to 
devise  new  patterns  for  old  articles,  such  as  chairs  and  desks. 

Glue  and  Adhesive  Tape 

Two  recent  inventions  of  the  greatest  possible  use  to  the 
maker  of  paper  furniture  are  fish-glue  which  gets  dry  very 
quickly  and  is  more  than  ordinarily  strong,  and  adhesive  tape. 
Glue  can  be  bought  for  very  little,  and  adhesive  tape,  which  is 
sold  principally  for  mending  music  and  the  torn  pages  of 
books,  is  put  up  in  inexpensive  spools. 

Home-Made  Compasses 

A  pair  of  compasses  is  a  good  thing  to  have  ;  but  you  can 
make  a  perfectly  serviceable  tool  by  cutting  out  a  narrow 
strip  of  cardboard  about  four  inches  long  and  boring  holes  at 


244  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

intervals,  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  through  which  the  point  of 
a  pencil  can  be  placed.  If  one  end  of  the  strip  is  fastened  to 
the  paper  with  a  pin  you  can  draw  a  circle  of  what  size  you 
want,  up  to  eight  inches  across. 

Materials 

These  are  the  materials  needed  when  making  paper  fur- 
niture :  — 

A  few  sheets  of  stiff  note-paper  or  drawi  ng-/paper.  Scissors.  A  penknife. 
A  ruler  (a  flat  one).  A  mapping-pen.  A  box  of  paints.  A  board  to  cut  out 
on.  Adhesive  tape  or  stamp-paper.  Glue. 

Tracing 

If  the  drawings  are  to  be  traced,  tracing-paper,  or  trans- 
parent note-paper,  and  a  sheet  of  carbon-paper,  will  also  be 
needed.  To  trace  a  drawing,  cover  it  with  paper  and  draw  it 
exactly.  Then  cover  the  paper  or  cardboard  from  which  you 
wish  to  cut  out  the  furniture  with  a  piece  of  carbon-paper, 
black  side  down,  and  over  that  place  your  tracing.  Draw  over 
this  again  with  a  very  sharply  pointed  pencil  or  pointed  stick, 
and  the  lines  will  be  repeated  by  the  carbon-paper  on  the  under 
sheet  of  paper. 

The  furniture,  for  which  designs  are  given  in  this  chapter, 
can  be  made  of  stiff  note-paper,  Whatman's  drawing-paper,  or 
thin  Bristol  board.  The  drawings  can  be  copied  or  traced. 
In  either  case  the  greatest  care  must  be  taken  that  the  meas- 
urements are  minutely  correct  and  the  lines  perfectly  straight. 
A  slip  of  paper  is  a  very  good  thing  to  measure  with. 

Enough  designs  have  been  given  to  show  how  most  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  furniture  can  be  made.  These  can,  of  course, 
be  varied  and  increased  by  copying  from  good  furniture  lists ; 
while  many  little  things  such  as  saucepans,  dishes,  clocks,  and 
so  forth,  can  be  copied  from  stores  lists  and  added  to  the  few 
that  are  given  on  p.  248. 


THE  LIBRARY  AND   FURNITURE   FROM 
"THE  HOUSE  THAT  GLUE  BUILT" 

(Facing  page  244) 


DOLLS'  HOUSES  245 

These  small  articles  are  cut  out  flat,  but  an  extra  piece  of 
paper  is  left  under  each,  which,  when  bent  back,  makes  a 
stand. 

General  Instructions 

The  front  legs  of  chairs,  the  legs  of  tables,  and  the  backs 
of  furniture  must  be  neatly  joined  together  by  narrow  strips 
of  stamp-paper  or  adhesive  tape.  To  do  this,  cut  a  strip  of  the 
right  size,  crease  it  down  the  middle,  and  stick  one  side. 
Allow  this  to  dry,  before  you  fix  the  other. 

Wherever  in  the  pictures  there  is  a  dotted  line,  it  means 
that  the  paper  is  to  be  folded  there.  It  will  be  easily  seen 
whether  it  is  to  be  folded  up  or  down. 

Before  the  furniture  is  folded  it  should  be  painted. 
Wood,  iron,  brass,  and  silk  can  all  be  imitated  in  color. 

In  cutting  out  small  spaces  of  cardboard  — as  between  the 
bars  of  a  chair  —  lay  the  card  on  a  board,  and  keeping  your 
knife,  which  should  be  sharp  at  the  point,  against  a  flat  ruler, 
run  it  again  and  again  along  the  lines  you  want  to  cut,  until 
you  have  cut  through.  If  your  furniture  is  made  of  paper,  the 
spaces  can  be  cut  out  with  finely  pointed  scissors,  taking  care 
to  start  in  the  middle  of  the  space,  for  the  first  incision  is  sel- 
dom a  clean  one. 


246 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 


KITCHEN  TABLE 
(Cut  out  the  oblong  parts  marked  A  A.) 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


247 


J 


E 


KITCHEN  RANGE  AND  KITCHEN  CHAIR 
(A  is  turned  up  to  form  a  shelf  for  saucepans  ;  B  is  glued  down  over  the  back.) 


248  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


SCREEN 

(To  be  made  of  one  piece  of  paper  folded  into  three  equal  parts  and  cut  out 
accordance  with  the  illustration. ) 


3AOJ 


VARIOUS  POTS  AND  PANS 
(Under  part  to  be  folded  back  for  a  stand.) 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


249 


DINING-  ROOM  TABLE  AND  CLOTH 


250 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 


SIDEBOARD 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


251 


SOFA  AND  AKM-CHAIB 
(The  corners  must  be  fastened  to  the  sheet  by  very  narrow  strips  of  paper.) 


252  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


WOODEN  BEDSTEAD 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


CO 

WARDKOBE 

(Join  the  sides  AB  and  AB,  and  then  bend  the  top  down,  glueing  the  flap, 
C  to  the  back  of  the  wardrobe.) 


254  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW «? 


DRESSING  TABLE 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


255 


WASHSTAND 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


BOCKING-CHAIB,  TOWEL  RACK,  AND  CHAIR 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


257 


CHILD'S  HIGH  CHAIE  AND  COT 

(In  the  chair  the  lines  AB  and  BA  must  be  cut.     In  the  cot  the  four  pieces 
marked  A  are  cut  out  on  their  sides  and  bent  down  to  form  legs.) 


258  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Paper  Dolls 

Paper  dolls  are  not  as  good  to  play  with  as  proper  dolls. 
One  can  do  much  less  with  them  because  they  cannot  be 
washed,  have  no  hair  to  be  brushed,  and  should  not  sit  down. 
But  they  can  be  exceedingly  pretty,  and  the  keeping  of  their 
wardrobes  in  touch  with  the  fashion  is  an  absorbing  occupa- 
tion. Paper  dolls  are  more  interesting  to  those  who  like  paint- 
ing than  to  others.  The  pleasure  of  coloring  them  and  their 
dresses  is  to  many  of  us  quite  as  interesting  as  cutting  out  and 
sewing  the  clothes  of  ordinary  dolls. 

Making  Paper  Dolls 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  draw  the  doll  in  pencil  on  the 
cardboard  or  paper  which  it  is  to  be  cut  from.  If  you  are  not 
good  at  drawing,  the  best  way  is  to  trace  a  figure  in  a  book  or 
newspaper,  and  then,  slipping  a  piece  of  carbon-paper  (which 
can  be  bought  for  a  penny  or  less  at  any  stationer's)  between 
your  tracing-paper  and  the  cardboard,  to  go  over  the  outline 
again  with  a  pencil  or  a  pointed  stick.  On  uncovering  the 
cardboard  you  will  find  the  doll  there  all  ready  to  cut  out. 
It  should  then  be  colored  on  both  sides,  partly  flesh  color  and 
partly  underclothes. 

The  Dresses 

The  dresses  are  made  of  sheets  of  note-paper,  the  fold  of 
which  forms  the  shoulder  pieces.  The  doll  is  laid  on  the 
paper,  with  head  and  neck  lapping  over  the  fold,  and  the  line 
of  the  dress  is  then  drawn  a  little  larger  than  the  doll.  A 
bmail  round  nick  to  form  the  collar  is  cut  between  the  shoul- 
ders of  the  dress,  and  a  slit  is  made  down  the  back  through 
which  the  doll's  head  can  be  passed.  After  the  head  is  through 
it  is  turned  round.  (Of  course,  if  the  dress  is  for  evening  the 
place  which  you  cut  for  the  neck  must  be  larger,  and  in  this 
case  no  slit  will  be  needed.)  All  the  details  of  the  dresses, 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


259 


which  can  be  of  original  design,  or  copied  from  advertisements 
and  fashion  plates,  must  be  drawn  in  in  pencil  and  afterward 
painted.  Hats,  trimmed  with  tissue-paper  feathers  or  ribbons, 
are  made  of  round  pieces  of  note-paper  with  a  slit  in  them  just 
big  enough  for  the  tip  of  the  doll's  head  to  go  through.  The 
illustrations  on  pp.  260  and  261  should  make  everything  clear. 

Other  Paper  Dolls 

Simpler  and  absolutely  symmetrical  paper  dolls  are  made 
by  cutting  them  out  of  folded  paper,  so  that  the  fold  runs 
right  down  the  middle  of  the  doll.  By  folding  many  pieces 
of  paper  together,  one  can  cut  out  many  dolls  at  once. 

Walking  Dolls 

Walking  ladies  are  made  in  that  way;  but  they  must 
have  long  skirts  and  no  feet,  and  when  finished  a  cut  is  made 


WALKING  PAPER  DOLLS 


in  the  skirt  —  as  in  the  picture  —  and  the  framework  thus  pro- 
duced is  bent  back.  When  the  doll  is  placed  on  the  table  and 
gently  blown  it  will  move  gracefully  along. 


260  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


PAPEB  MOTHEB  AND  CHILD,  WITH  CLOTHES  FOB  EACH 


DOLLS'  HOUSES 


261 


A  PAPER  GIRL  WITH  Six  CHANGES 


262  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

Tissue- Paper  Dresses 

Dresses  can  also  be  made  of  crinkly  tissue-paper  glued 
to  a  foundation  of  plain  note-paper.  Frills,  flounces,  and 
sashes  are  easily  imitated  in  this  material,  and  if  the  colors  are 
nell  chosen  the  result  is  very  pretty. 

Rows  of  Paper  Dolls 

To  make  a  row  of  paper  dolls,  take  a  piece  of  paper  the 
height  that  the  dolls  are  to  be,  and  fold  it  alternately  back- 
ward and  forward  (first  one  side  and  then  the  other)  leaving 
about  an  inch  between  each  fold.  Press  the  folds  together 
tightly  and  cut  out  the  half  of  a  doll,  being  careful  that  the 
arms  are  continued  to  the  edge  of  the  fold  and  are  not  cut  off. 
Open  out  and  you  will  have  a  string  of  paper  dolls. 

Other  articles  to  be  made  from  paper  and  cardboard  will 
be  found  on  pp.  284-291. 


PLAYHOUSES  OF  OTHER  PEOPLES 


PLAYHOUSES  OF  OTHER  PEOPLES 

IT  is  not  in  the  least  necessary  to  confine  yourself  to  mak- 
ing playhouses  that  are  like  the  houses  you  live  in  or  see 
about  you,  for  with  a  little  ingenuity  you  can  construct 
bits  of  all  sorts  of  strange  countries  right  in  your  play-room. 
In  one  of  the  schools  in  New  York  City  the  children  study 
geography  and  history  of  certain  kinds  by  making  with  their 
own  hands  scenes  from  the  places  about  which  they  study. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  materials  for  making  these  play- 
houses is  ordinary  modeling  clay.  You  can  buy  fifty  pounds 
for  from  fifty  cents  to  a  dollar,  and  with  this  you  are  equipped 
to  make  almost  anything  you  can  see  in  pictures.  Put  the 
cla}'  (if  bought  dry)  into  a  jar,  pour  over  it  clear  water,  and 
stir  it  up  with  a  stick  until  perfectly  smooth  and  about  the 
consistency  of  hard  butter.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  make  a 
supply  of  bricks  for  building.  This  should  be  shaped  like  real 
bricks  and  about  two  inches  long.  Smaller  ones  are  also  pos- 
sible if  you  wish  to  have  your  settlement  on  a  very  small 
scale.  These  should  be  made  as  regularly  as  possible  and  as 
nearly  of  the  same  size.  After  a  little  practice  one  becomes 
very  expert  in  this  simple  art.  They  should  then  be  dried  in 
the  sun  and  are  ready  to  use,  though  they  must  be  handled 
carefully.  If  you  can  obtain  terra-cotta  clay,  and  have  it 
baked  hard  you  will  have  real  bricks  that  will  outlast  your 
play-time. 

A  Pueblo  Settlement 

Suppose  now  that  you  have  been  reading  about  the  life 
of  the  Pueblo  Indians  in  our  Southwest,  and  you  have  a  pi& 
ture  of  one  of  their  singular  settlements.  The  accompanying 

265 


266  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

picture  shows  what  was  done  in  the  way  of  constructing  such 
a  settlement  by  a  class  of  school  children,  none  of  whom  were 
over  eight  years  old.  You  can  model  little  clay  Indian  in- 
habitants and  paint  them  as  you  please,  to  represent  their 
brown  skins  and  bright-colored  clothes.  If  you  can  have  a 
box  with  a  little  earth  in  it  to  set  before  your  Pueblo  village 
you  can  sow  wheat  seed,  or  mustard,  and  model  Indians 
working  in  the  fields  with  their  crude  plows.  Anything  of 
which  you  can  find  a  picture  can  be  reproduced.  Indian  vil- 
lages and  camps  are  easy  to  make  and  interesting.  And 
once  you  are  started  on  Indian  life  it  may  be  fun  to  make 
yourselves  Indian  costumes.  The  costumes  in  the  picture 
shown  were  made  by  the  boys  who  wear  them.  By  looking 
closely  at  them  you  can  copy  them. 

An  Esquimau  Village 

Another  class  in  the  same  school  painted  their  bricks 
white  to  represent  blocks  of  snow  and  made  an  Esquimau 
village.  This  is  fascinating  and  easy  to  do.  Or,  the  rounded 
huts  can  be  modeled  all  in  one  piece  directly  from  the  clay. 
Any  book  describing  the  life  of  dwellers  in  the  Arctic  region 
will  tell  you  how  they  make  their  houses  and  you  can  make 
tiny  imitations  of  them  that  will  be  infinite  fun  to  construct 
and  the  admiration  of  all  your  friends  when  finished.  Cotton- 
wool can  be  used  for  snow  (powdered  isinglass  also  is  pretty), 
and  bits  of  broken  mirror  for  ice-ponds.  Little  sleds  can  be 
made  on  which  to  put  your  Esquimau  hunter,  who  may  be 
one  of  the  white-fur-clad  dolls  so  cheaply  bought  in  toy-stores. 
Or  you  can  model  a  little  doll  just  the  right  size  to  be  enter- 
ing the  door  of  your  tiny  rounded  white  hut. 

A  Filipino  Village 

Or  if  you  get  tired  of  living  near  the  Arctic  circle  you 
can  sweep  your  table  clean  of  Esquimau  dwellings  and  con- 


AN  ESQUIMAU  SLED 


INDIAN  COSTUMES 


(Facing  page  266) 


PLAYHOUSES  OF  OTHER  PEOPLES       267 

struct  a  Filipino  village.  For  these  you  do  not  need  bricks 
(which  can  be  given  a  rest  and  put  away  in  a  box)  but  little 
splints  of  wood  the  same  size  and  length  which  you  can  make 
yourself  with  a  knife.  Make  a  little  thin  floor  of  damp  clay 
(but  drier  than  you  use  it  to  model  with)  and  stick  your 
upright  pieces  in  this  in  the  shape  of  the  house  you  wish  to 
make.  When  the  clay  has  hardened  they  are  held  quite  firm 
and  you  can  make  a  wattled  hut  by  weaving  long  straws  or 
grasses  in  and  out  to  form  your  walls.  A  thatched  roof  can 
also  be  made  of  long  grasses,  tied  in  little  bunches  and  laid 
close  together  all  sloping  down  from  the  ridge-pole.  Almost 
every  magazine  of  a  few  years  back  has  in  it  pictures  of 
Filipino  villages  which  will  furnish  you  with  models  to  copy. 
According  to  the  size  of  the  table  or  board  on  which  you 
make  your  settlements  you  can  have  more  or  less  extensive 
tropical  country,  surrounding  your  village.  Mountains  can 
be  made  of  the  clay,  covered  with  moss  or  grasses  to  represent 
the  jungle  and  a  river  with  overhanging  trees  arranged  with 
bits  of  broken  looking-glass,  and  twigs  with  tiny  scraps  of 
green  tissue  paper  glued  to  them  for  leaves.  The  exercise  of 
your  own  ingenuity  in  using  all  sorts  of  unlikely  materials 
which  you  will  find  all  about  you  is  the  best  part  of  this 
game. 

After  you  have  decided  to  change  the  climate  and  char- 
acter of  your  village,  the  clay  used  may  be  broken  up  and  put 
back  in  your  jar,  wet  again,  stirred  smooth  and  is  all  ready  to 
begin  again.  Great  care  should  be  taken  that  it  is  kept  clean, 
that  bits  of  wood  or  glass  be  not  left  in  it,  or  you  may  cut  or 
prick  your  fingers  in  handling  it. 

A  Dutch  Street 

You  cannot  only  wander  from  one  climate  and  from  one 
nationality  to  another,  but  from  one  century  to  another.  If 


268  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

you  are  studying  early  American  history  nothing  is  more  fun 
than  to  make  a  street  in  an  old  Dutch  settlement.  Your 
bricks  are  painted  red  for  this.  Almost  any  history-book  will 
have  pictures  of  one  or  two  old  Dutch  houses  which  will  show 
you  the  general  look  of  them.  They  are  harder  to  construct 
than  the  ruder  huts  of  savages  and  may  need  to  be  held  to- 
gether with  a  little  use  of  damp  clay.  It  is  interesting  to  try 
and  reconstruct  old  Dutch  Manhattan,  from  the  maps  and 
pictures,  showing  the  bay  and  the  walk  on  the  Battery. 

Or  if  you  are  interested  in  Colonial  New  England,  make 
a  settlement  of  log-houses  with  the  upper  story  overhanging 
the  first.  On  any  walk  you  can  pick  up  enough  small  sticks 
to  use  as  logs  after  trimming  and  measuring. 

Other  possibilities  in  this  line  are  suggested  below.  You 
will  have  more  fun  in  working  them  out  yourself  than  if  you 
are  told  just  how  to  proceed.  A  Roman  arena  with  gladi- 
ators fighting  and  a  curtain  which  may  be  drawn  to  keep  off 
the  sun.  A  little  fishing-village  beside  the  sea  (a  large  pan  of 
water)  with  tiny  nets  spread  out  to  dry  and  little  walnut  shell 
boats  drawn  up  on  the  sandy  beach. 

A  farmhouse,  barn,  pig-pen,  dog-kennel,  carriage-house 
and  the  like.  A  very  pretty  settlement  can  be  made  of  this 
with  fields  of  growing  grain,  brooks,  water-wheels,  etc. 

All  the  animals  of  a  farm  can  be  modeled  and  painted. 
When  they  are  skilfully  made  they  are  very  pretty  and  add 
much  to  the  picture  and  when  they  are  done  unskilfully  it  is 
fun  to  have  people  guess  what  they  were  meant  for.  How- 
ever, with  a  little  practice  very  presentable  animals  can  be 
modeled.  It  is  easier  to  make  them  in  clay  than  to  draw 
them. 

^  gyPsy  camp,  with  tents  and  open  fires  (bits  of  yellow 
and  red  tissue-paper),  under  a  black  kettle  (made  of  clay  and 
painted)  swung  on  a  forked  stick,  can  easily  be  made. 


PLAYHOUSES  OF  OTHER  PEOPLES       269 

Of  course  with  tin  or  lead  soldiers  the  number  of  games 
one  can  invent  with  these  tiny  settlements  is  innumerable. 
One  favorite  with  some  children  is  the  attack  and  capture  of 
the  Filipino  village  by  American  troops.  Sometimes  it  is 
burned,  and  this  is  always  a  stirring  spectacle.  Indeed  with 
tin  soldiers  (which  are  just  now  unjustly  out  of  favor)  one's 
range  of  subjects  is  unlimited,  and  one  always  has  plenty  of  in- 
habitants for  any  settlement.  An  army  post  can  be  made, 
with  a  fort  and  barracks  and  a  wide  green  parade  ground 
with  the  regiment  drawn  up  in  line  for  dress-parade.  A  tiny 
American  flag  flutters  from  the  flag-pole  and  after  the  sunset 
gun  booms  (a  fire-cracker  exploded  or  only  some  one  striking 
a  blow  on  a  tin  pan)  it  can  be  lowered  to  the  ground  while 
the  best  whistler  of  the  company  executes  "  The  Star-Spangled 
Banner." 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  AND  THINGS 
TO  MAKE 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  AND  THINGS 
TO  MAKE 

Painting 

PAINTING  is  an  occupation  which  is  within  almost 
everybody's  power,  and  of  which  one  tires  very  slowly 
or  perhaps  not  at  all.     By  painting  we  mean  coloring 
old  pictures  rather  than  making  new  ones,  since  making  new 
ones  —  from  nature  or  imagination  —  require  separate  gifts. 
On  a  wet  afternoon  —  or,  if  it  is  permitted,  on  Sunday  after, 
noon  —  coloring  the  pictures  in  a  scrapbook  is  a  very  pleasant 
and  useful  employment.     After  dark,  painting  is  not  a  very 
wise  occupation,  because,  in  an  artificial  light,  colors  cannot 
be  properly  distinguished. 

All  shops  that  sell  artists'  materials  keep  painting-books. 
But  old  illustrated  papers  do  very  well. 

Flags 

An  even  more  interesting  thing  to  do  with  a  paint-box  is 
to  make  a  collection  of  the  flags  of  all  nations.  And  when 
those  are  all  done,  —  you  will  find  colored  pages  of  them  in 
any  large  dictionary,  and  elsewhere  too,  —  you  might  get  pos- 
session of  an  old  shipping  guide,  and  copy  Lloyd's  signal  code 
from  it. 

Maps 

Coloring  maps  is  interesting,  but  is  more  difficult  than 
you  might  perhaps  think,  owing  to  the  skill  required  in  laying 
an  even  surface  of  paint  on  an  irregular  space.  The  middle 
of  the  country  does  not  cause  much  trouble,  but  when  it 
comes  to  the  jagged  frontier  line  the  brush  has  to  be  very 

273 


274  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

carefully  handled.  To  wet  the  whole  map  with  a  wet  brusk 
at  the  outset  is  a  help.  Perhaps  before  starting  in  earnest  on 
a  map  it  would  be  best  to  practice  a  little  with  irregular- 
shaped  spaces  on  another  piece  of  paper. 

Magic-Lantern  Slides 

If  you  have  a  magic  lantern  in  the  house  you  can  paint 
some  home-made  slides.  The  colors  should  be  as  gay  as  pos- 
sible. The  best  home-made  slides  are  those  which  illustrate  a 
home-made  story  ;  and  the  fact  that  you  cannot  draw  or  paint 
really  well  should  not  discourage  you  at  all.  A  simpler  way 
of  making  slides  is  to  hold  the  glass  over  a  candle  until  one 
side  is  covered  with  lamp  black  and  then  with  a  sharp  stick  to 
draw  outline  pictures  on  it. 

Another  way  is  to  cut  out  silhouettes  in  black  paper,  or 
colored  tracing-paper,  and  stick  them  to  the  glass.  In  copy- 
ing a  picture  on  a  slide  put  the  glass  over  the  picture  and 
draw  the  outline  with  a  fine  brush  dipped  in  Indian  ink. 
Then  paint.  All  painting  on  slides  should  be  covered  with 
fixing  varnish,  or  it  will  rub  off. 

Illuminating 

As  a  change  from  painting  there  is  illuminating,  for 
which  smaller  brushes  and  gold  and  silver  paint  are  needed.  Il- 
luminating texts  is  a  favorite  Sunday  afternoon  employ- 
ment. 

Pen  and  Ink  Work 

There  is  also  pen  and  ink  drawing,  mistakenly  called 
"etching,"  for  which  you  require  a  tiny  pen,  known  as  a 
mapping  pen,  and  a  cake  of  Indian  ink.  If  the  library  con- 
tains a  volume  of  old  wood-cuts,  particularly  Bewicks  Birds 
or  Bewick's  Quadrupeds,  you  will  have  no  lack  of  pictures 
to  copy. 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  275 

Chalks 
In  place  of  paints  a  box  of  chalks  will  serve  very  well. 

Tracing 

Smaller  children,  who  have  not  yet  learned  to  paint 
properly,  often  like  to  trace  pictures  either  on  tracing  paper 
held  over  the  picture,  or  on  ordinary  thin  paper  held  over  the 
picture  against  the  window  pane. 

Pricking  Pictures 

Pictures  can  also  be  pricked  with  a  pin,  but  in  this  case 
some  one  must  draw  it  first.  You  follow  the  outline  with 
little  pin  pricks  close  together,  holding  the  paper  on  a  cushion 
while  you  prick  it.  Then  the  picture  is  held  up  to  the 
window  for  the  light  to  shine  through  the  holes. 

Easter  Eggs 

Home-made  Easter  eggs  are  made  by  painting  pictures  or 
messages  on  eggs  that  have  been  hard-boiled,  or  by  merely 
boiling  them  in  water  containing  cochineal  or  some  other 
coloring  material.  In  Germany  it  is  the  custom  for  Easter 
eggs  to  be  hidden  about  in  the  house  and  garden,  and  for  the 
family  to  hunt  for  them  before  breakfast  —  a  plan  that  might 
very  well  be  taken  up  by  us. 

Spatter.-Work 

Paper  and  cardboard  articles  can  be  prettily  decorated 
by  spatter-work.  Ferns  are  the  favorite  shapes  to  use.  You 
first  pin  them  on  whatever  it  is  that  is  to  be  ornamented  in  this 
way,  arranging  them  as  prettily  as  possible.  Then  rub  some 
Indian  ink  in  water  on  a  saucer  until  it  is  quite  thick.  Dip  an 
old  tooth-brush  lightly  into  the  ink,  and,  holding  it  over  the 
cardboard,  rub  the  bristles  gently  across  a  fine  tooth  comb. 
This  will  send  a  spray  of  ink  over  the  cardboard.  Do  this 


276  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

again  and  again  until  the  tone  is  deep  enough,  and  try  also  to 
graduate  it.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  ink  when  dry 
is  much  darker  than  when  wet.  Then  remove  the  ferns,  when 
under  each  there  will  be  a  white  space  exactly  reproducing 
their  beautiful  shape.  If  you  like  you  can  paint  in  their  veins 
and  shade  them ;  but  this  is  not  really  necessary.  Colored 
paints  can  be  used  instead  of  Indian  ink. 

Scrapbooks 

Making  scrapbooks  is  always  a  pleasant  and  useful  en> 
ployment,  whether  for  yourself  or  for  children  in  hospit- 
als or  districts,  and  there  was  never  so  good  an  opportunity 
as  now  of  getting  interesting  pictures.  These  you  select  from 
odd  numbers  of  magazines,  Christmas  numbers,  illustrated 
papers,  and  advertisements.  Scraps  are  very  useful  to  fill  up 
odd  corners.  In  choosing  pictures  for  your  own  scrapbook  it  is 
better  to  select  only  those  that  you  really  believe  in  and  can 
find  a  reason  for  using,  than  to  take  everything  that  seems 
likely  to  fit.  By  choosing  the  pictures  with  this  care  you 
make  the  work  more  interesting  and  the  book  peculiarly  your 
own.  But  in  making  a  scrapbook  as  a  present  for  some  one 
that  you  know,  you  will,  of  course,  in  choosing  pictures,  try 
to  put  yourself  in  his  place  and  choose  as  you  think  that  he 
would. 

Empty  scrapbooks  can  be  bought ;  or  you  can  make  one 
by  taking  (for  a  large  one)  an  old  business  ledger,  which  some 
one  whom  you  know  is  certain  to  be  able  to  give  you,  or  (for 
a  small  one)  an  ordinary  old  exercise-book,  and  then  cutting 
out  every  other  page  about  half  an  inch  from  the  stitching. 
This  is  to  allow  room  for  the  extra  thickness  which  the 
pictures  will  give  to  the  book.  Or  you  can  sew  sheets  of 
brown  paper  together. 

For  sticking  on  the  pictures,  use  paste  rather  than  gum  5 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  277 

and  when  it  is   done,  press   the  book  under  quite  a  light 
weight,  with  sheets  of  paper  between  the  pages. 

Scrapbooks  for  Hospitals 

Children  that  are  ill  are  often  too  weak  to  hold  up  a  large 
book  and  turn  over  the  leaves.  There  are  two  ways  of  saving 
them  this  exertion  and  yet  giving  them  pleasure  from 
pictures.  One  is  to  get  several  large  sheets  of  cardboard  and 
cover  them  with  pictures  and  scraps  on  both  sides,  and  bind 
them  round  with  ribbon.  These  can  be  enclosed  in  a  box  and 
sent  to  the  matron.  She  will  distribute  the  cards  among  the 
children,  and  when  they  have  looked  at  each  thoroughly  they 
can  exchange  it  for  another.  Another  way  is  to  use  folding 
books  which  are  more  easy  to  hold  than  ordinary  turning-over 
ones,  and  you  can  make  them  at  home  very  simply  by  covering 
half  a  dozen  or  more  cards  of  the  same  size  (post-cards  make 
capital  little  books)  with  red  linen,  and  then  sewing  them  edge 
to  edge  so  as  to  get  them  all  in  a  row.  In  covering  the  cards 
with  the  linen  —  red  is  not  compulsory,  but  it  is  a  good  color 
to  choose  —  it  is  better  to  paste  it  on  as  well  as  to  sew  it 
round  the  three  edges  (a  fold  will  come  on  one  side),  because 
then  when  you  stick  on  the  pictures  they  will  not  cockle  up. 
Pictures  for  hospital  scrapbooks  should  be  bright  and  gay* 
Colored  ones  are  best,  but  if  you  cannot  get  them  already 
colored  you  can  paint  them.  Painting  a  scrapbook  is  one  of 
the  best  of  employments. 

Composite  Scrapbooks 

Sometimes  it  happens  that  you  get  very  tired  of  one  of 
the  pictures  in  your  scrapbook.  A  good  way  to  make  it  fresh 
and  interesting  again  is  to  introduce  new  people  or  things. 
You  will  easily  find  among  your  store  of  loose  pictures  a 
korse  and  cart,  or  a  dog,  or  a  man,  or  a  giraffe,  which,  when 


278          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

cut  out,  will  fit  in  amusingly  somewhere  in  the  old  picture. 
If  you  like,  a  whole  book  can  be  altered  reasonably  in  this 
way,  or  made  ridiculous  throughout. 

Scrap-Covered  Screens 

A  screen  is  an  even  more  interesting  thing  to  make  than 
a  scrapbook.  The  first  thing  to  get  is  the  framework  of  the 
screen,  which  will  either  be  an  old  one  the  covering  of  which 
needs  renewing,  or  a  new  one  made  by  the  carpenter.  The 
next  thing  is  to  cover  it  with  canvas,  which  you  must  stretch 
on  tightly  and  fasten  with  small  tacks  ;  and  over  this  should 
be  pasted  another  covering  of  stout  paper,  of  whatever 
color  you  want  for  a  background  to  the  pictures.  Paste 
mixed  with  size  should  be  used  in  sticking  it.  After  the  pic- 
tures are  all  arranged  they  should  be  stuck  with  the  same 
material,  and  a  coat  of  paper  varnish  given  to  the  whole,  so 
that  it  can  be  cleaned  occasionally. 

Collecting  Stamps 

Stamp-collecting  is  more  interesting  if  money  is  kept  out 
of  it  and  you  get  your  stamps  by  gift  or  exchange.  The  best 
way  to  begin  is  to  know  some  one  who  has  plenty  of  foreign 
correspondence  and  to  ask  for  all  his  old  envelopes.  Nothing 
but  time  and  patience  can  make  a  good  collection.  To  buy  it, 
is  to  have  little  of  the  collector's  joy. 

Postage-Stamp  Snakes 

Old  American  stamps  can  be  used  for  making  snakes. 
There  is  no  need  to  soak  the  stamps  off  the  envelope  paper  : 
they  must  merely  be  cut  out  cleanly  and  threaded  together. 
A  big  snake  takes  about  4,000  stamps.  The  head  is  made  of 
black  velvet  stuffed  with  cotton  wool,  and  beads  serve  for 
eyes.  A  tongue  of  red  flannel  can  be  added. 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  279 

Puzzles 

If  you  have  a  fret  saw,  and  can  use  it  cleverly,  you  can 
make  at  home  as  good  a  puzzle  as  any  that  can  be  bought. 
The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  select  a  good  colored  picture,  and 
then  to  procure  from  a  carpenter  a  thin  mahogany  board  of 
the  same  size.  Mahogany  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  but  it 
must  be  some  wood  that  is  both  soft  and  tough.  Deal,  for  in- 
stance, is  useless  because  it  is  not  tough,  and  oak  is  useless  be- 
cause it  is  not  soft.  On  this  wood  you  stick  the  picture  very 
firmly,  using  weak  glue  in  preference  to  paste  or  gum. 
When  it  is  quite  dry  you  cut  it  up  into  the  most  difficult  frag- 
ments that  you  can.  It  is  best  to  cut  out  the  border  so  that 
each  piece  locks  into  the  next.  This  will  then  be  put  together 
first  by  the  player  and  will  serve  to  hold  the  picture  together. 
After  the  puzzle  is  cut  up  it  is  well  to  varnish  each  piece  with 
paper  varnish,  which  keeps  it  clean  and  preserves  it. 

A  simple  puzzle  can  be  made  by  pasting  the  picture  on 
cardboard  and  cutting  it  up  with  scissors  or  a  sharp  knife. 

Soap  Bubbles 

For  blowing  bubbles  the  long  clay  pipes  are  best.  Before 
using  them,  the  end  of  the  mouthpiece  ought  to  be  covered 
with  sealing-wax  for  about  an  inch,  or  it  may  tear  your  lips, 
Common  yellow  soap  is  better  than  scented  soap,  and  rain- 
water than  ordinary  water.  A  little  glycerine  added  to  the 
soap-suds  helps  to  make  the  bubbles  more  lasting.  On  a  still 
summer  day,  bubble-blowing  out-of-doors  is  a  fascinating  and 
very  pretty  occupation. 

Shadows  on  the  Wall 

Shadowgraphy  nowadays  has  progressed  a  long  way  from 
the  rabbit  on  the  wall ;  but  in  the  house,  ambition  in  this  ac- 
complishment does  not  often  extend  further  than  that  and  one 


280 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


or  two  other  animals,  and  this  is  why  only  the  rabbit,  dog, 
and  swan  are  given  here.  The  swan  can  be  made  more  inter- 
esting by  moving  the  arm  which  forms  his  neck  as  if  he  were 


SHADOWS  ON  THE  WALL 

prinking  and  pluming,  an  effect  which  is  much  heightened  by 
ruffling  up  and  smoothing  down  the  hair  with  the  fingers  form- 
ing his  beak.  To  get  a  clear  shadow  it  is  necessary  to  have 
only  one  light,  and  that  fairly  close  to  the  hands. 

Skeleton  Leaves 

Leaves  which  are  to  be  skeletonized  should  be  picked  from 
the  trees  at  the  end  of  June.  They  should  be  perfect  ones  of 
full  growth.  It  is  best  to  have  several  of  each  kind,  as  some 
are  sure  to  be  failures.  Put  the  leaves  in  a  big  earthenware 
dish  or  pan,  fill  it  with  rain-water,  and  stand  it  in  a  warm  and 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  281 

sunn}7  place  —  the  purpose  of  this  being  to  soak  off  the  green 
pulpy  part.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  time  which  this 
takes :  some  fine  leaves  will  be  ready  in  a  week,  while  others 
may  need  several  months.  Look  at  the  leaves  every  day,  and 
when  one  seems  to  be  ready  slip  a  piece  of  cardboard  under  it 
and  shake  it  about  gently  in  fresh  cold  water.  If  any  green 
stuff  remains,  dab  it  with  a  soft  brush  and  then  put  it  into  an- 
other basin  of  clean  water.  A  fine  needle  can  be  used  to  take 
away  any  small  and  obstinate  pieces  of  green.  It  is  now  a 
skeleton  and  must  be  bleached  according  to  the  following  di- 
rections : — Pour  into  a  large  earthenware  jar  a  pint  of  water 
on  half  a  pound  of  chloride  of  lime.  Mix  thoroughly,  break- 
ing up  any  lumps  with  the  hand.  Add  two  and  a  half  quarts 
of  water,  cover  over,  and  leave  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then 
pour  off  the  solution,  leaving  the  sediment  behind.  Dissolve 
two  pounds  of  soda  in  one  quart  of  boiling  water,  and  pour  it, 
while  on  the  boil,  over  the  chloride  solution.  Cover  it,  and 
leave  for  forty-eight  hours ;  then  decant  into  bottles,  being 
careful  to  leave  all  sediment  behind. 

Fill  an  earthenware  dish  with  this  solution,  lay  the  leaves 
in  it,  and  cover  tightly.  The  leaves  will  be  bleached  in  six  to 
twelve  hours.  They  should  be  taken  out  directly  they  are 
white,  as  the  lime  makes  them  very  brittle.  After  bleaching, 
rinse  the  leaves  in  cold  water,  float  them  on  to  cards,  and  dry 
between  blotting-paper,  under  a  heavy  weight. 

Ferns 

It  should  be  noted  that  if  you  intend  to  skeletonize  ferns, 
they  should  not  be  picked  before  August,  and  they  must  be 
pressed  and  dried  before  they  are  put  into  the  bleaching  solution, 
in  which  they  ought  to  stay  for  three  or  four  days.  The  solution 
should  be  changed  on  the  second  day,  and  again  on  the  fourth. 
After  bleaching  they  can  be  treated  just  as  the  leaves  are. 


282  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Wool  Balls 

Cut  out  two  rings  of  cardboard,  of  whatever  size  you  like, 
from  one  inch  in  diameter  up  to  about  four  inches.  A  four- 
inch  ring  would  make  as  large  a  ball  as  one  usually  needs,  and 
a  one-inch  ring  as  small  a  one  as  could  be  conveniently  made. 
The  rim  of  the  largest  rings  should  not  be  wider  than  half  an 
inch.  Take  a  ball  of  wool  and,  placing  the  cardboard  rings 
together,  tie  the  end  of  it  firmly  round  them.  Then  wind  the 
wool  over  the  rings,  moving  them  round  and  round  to  keep  it 
even.  At  first  you  will  be  able  to  push  the  ball  through  the 
rings  easily,  but  as  the  wool  is  wound  the  hole  will  grow 
smaller  and  smaller,  until  you  have  to  thread  the  wool  through 
with  a  needle.  To  do  this  it  is  necessary  to  cut  the  wool  into 
lengths,  which  you  must  be  careful  to  join  securely.  Go  on 
until  the  hole  is  completely  filled  and  you  cannot  squeeze 
another  needle  through.  Then  slip  a  pair  of  scissors  between 
the  two  rings  and  cut  the  wool  all  round  them  ;  and  follow 
this  up  quickly  by  slipping  a  piece  of  string  also  between  them 
and  tying  it  tightly  round  the  wool  that  is  in  their  midst. 
This  is  to  keep  the  loose  ends,  which  were  made  directly  you 
cut  the  wool  with  the  scissors,  from  coming  out.  All  that  is 
now  necessary  is  to  pull  out  the  cardboard  rings  and  shape  the 
ball  a  little  in  your  hands.  The  tighter  the  wool  was  bound 
round  the  cards,  the  smaller  and  harder  the  ball  will  be  and 
the  more  difficult  will  it  be  to  cut  the  wool  neatly  and  tie  it. 
Therefore,  and  especially  as  the  whole  purpose  of  a  wool  ball 
is  softness  and  harmlessness,  it  is  better  to  wind  the  wool 
loosely  and  to  use  thick  wool  rather  than  thin. 

Wool  Demons 

To  make  a  "  Wool  Demon,"  take  a  piece  of  cardboard  as 
wide  as  you  want  the  demon  to  be  tall,  say  three  inches,  and 
wind  very  evenly  over  it  wool  of  the  color  you  want  the 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  283 

demon  to  be.  Scarlet  wool  is  perhaps  best.  Wind  it  about 
eighty  times,  and  then  remove  carefully  and  tie  a  piece  round 
about  half  an  inch  from  the  top  to  make  the  neck.  This  also 
secures  the  wool,  the  lower  looped  ends  of  which  can  now  be 
cut.  When  cut,  gather  up  about  twenty  pieces  each  side  for 
the  arms,  and,  holding  them  firmly,  bind  them  round  with 
other  wool,  and  cut  off  neatly  at  the  proper  length.  Then  tie 
more  wool  round  to  form  the  body.  The  legs  and  tail  are 
made  in  the  same  way  as  the  arms,  except  that  wool  is  wound 
round  the  legs,  beginning  from  the  feet  and  working  upward, 
only  to  the  knees,  leaving  a  suggestion  of  knickerbockers. 
Eyes  and  other  features  can  be  sewn  on  in  silk. 


Bead-Work 

Among  other  occupations  which  are  not  in  need  of  careful 
description,  but  which  ought  to  be  mentioned,  bead-work  is 
important.  It  was  once  more  popular  than  it  now  is ;  but 
beads  in  many  beautiful  colors  are  still  made,  and  it  is  a  pity 
that  their  advantages  should  be  neglected.  Bead- work  lasts 
longer  and  is  cleaner  and  brighter  than  any  other  form  of 
embroidery.  Perhaps  the  favorite  use  to  which  beads  are  now 
put  is  in  the  making  of  napkin-rings.  Bead-flowers  are  made 
by  threading  beads  on  wire  and  bending  them  to  the  required 
shapes.  Boxes  of  materials  are  sold  in  toy-shops. 

Post-Office 

"  Post-Office  "  is  a  device  for  providing  the  family  with  a 
sure  supply  of  letters.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  appoint  a 
postmaster  and  fix  upon  the  positions  for  the  letter-boxes. 
You  then  write  letters  to  each  other  and  to  any  one  in  the 
house,  and  post  them  where  you  like  ;  and  at  regular  times 
the  postmaster  collects  them  and  delivers  them. 


284 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


The  Home  Newspaper 

In  "  The  Home  Newspaper,"  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to 
decide  on  which  of  you  will  edit  it.  As  the  editor  usually  has 
to  copy  all  the  contributions  into  the  exercise-book,  it  is  well 
that  a  good  writer  should  be  chosen.  Then  you  want  a  good 
title.  It  is  better  if  the  contributors  are  given  each  a  depart- 
ment, because  that  will  make  the  work  more  simple.  Each 
number  should  have  a  story  and  some  poetry.  Home  news- 
papers, as  a  rule,  come  out  once  a  month.  Once  a  week  is  too 
often  to  keep  up.  There  is  a  good  description  of  one  in  a 
book  by  E.  Nesbit,  called  The  Treasure-Seekers. 


Paper  and  Cardboard  Toys— A  Cocked  Hat 
To  make  a  cocked  hat,  take  a  sheet  of  stiff  paper  and 
double  it.     Then  fold  over  each  of  the  doubled  corners  until 


FIG.  l 


they  meet  in  the  middle.  The  paper  will  then  resemble  Fig.  1 
Then  fold  AB  AB  over  the  doubled  corners  ;  fold  the  corres. 
ponding  strip  of  paper  at  the  back  to  balance  it,  and  the 
cocked  hat  is  ready  to  be  worn.  If  it  is  to  be  used  in  charades, 
it  is  well  to  pin  it  here  and  there  to  make  it  secure. 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS 


285 


Paper  Boats 

If  the  cocked  hat  is  held  in  the  middle  of  each  side  and 
pulled  out  into  a  square,  and  the  two  sides  are  then  bent  back 


FIG.  2 


to  make  another  cocked  hat  (but  of  course  much  smaller) ;  and 
then,  if  this  cocked  hat  is  also  pulled  out  into  a  square,  it  will 


FIGS. 


look  like  Fig.  2.  If  the  sides  A  and  A  are  held  between  the 
finger  and  thumb  and  pulled  out,  a  paper  boat  will  be  the 
result,  as  in  Fig.  3. 


286 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


Paper  Darts 

Take  a  sheet  of  stiffish  paper  about  the  size  of  this  page 
and  fold  it  longways,  exactly  double.  Then  fold  the  corners 
of  one  end  back  to  the  main  fold,  one  each  side.  The  paper 
sideways  will  then  look  as  in  Fig.  1.  Then  double  these 


PAPER  DARTS 

folded  points,  one  each  side,  back  to  the  main  fold.  The  paper 
will  then  look  as  in  Fig.  2.  Repeat  this  process  once  more. 
The  paper  will  then  look  as  in  Fig.  3.  Compress  the  folds 
very  tightly,  and  open  out  the  top  ones,  so  that  in  looking 
down  on  the  dart  it  will  have  the  appearance  of  Fig.  4.  The 
dart  is  then  ready  for  use. 

Paper  Mats 

Take  a  square  piece  of  thin  paper  (Fig.  1),  white  OP 
colored.     Fold  it  in  half  (Fig.  2),  and  then  again  in  half 


rx.s*. 


PAPER  MATS 


(Fig.  3),  and  then  again  from  the  centre  to  the  outside  corner, 
when  it  will  be  shaped  as  in  Fig.  4.  If  you  want  a  round 
mat,  cut  it  as  marked  by  the  dotted  line  in  Fig.  4 ;  if  square, 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS 


287 


leave  it  as  it  is.  Remember  that  when  you  cut  folded  paper 
the  cuts  are  repeated  in  the  whole  piece  as  many  times  as 
there  are  folds  in  the  paper.  The  purpose  of  folding  is  to 
make  the  cuts  symmetrical.  Bearing  this  in  mind  cut  Fig.  4 
as  much  as  you  like,  as  suggested  by  Fig.  5.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  well  to  practice  first  of  all  on  a  rough  piece.  The 
more  delicate  the  cuts  the  prettier  will  be  the  completed  mat. 

Paper  Boxes 

Take  an  exactly  square  piece  of  paper  (cream-laid  note- 
paper  is  best  in  texture),  and  fold  it  across  to  each  corner  and 
press  down  the  folds.  Unfold  it  and  then  fold  each  corner 
exactly  into  the  middle,  and  press  down  and  unfold  again. 
The  lines  of  fold  on  the  paper  will  now  be  seen  to  run  from 
corner  to  corner,  crossing  in  the  middle,  and  also  forming  a 


PAPER  BOXES 

square  pattern.  The  next  thing  is  to  fold  over  each  corner 
exactly  to  the  line  of  this  square  on  the  opposite  half  of  the 
paper.  When  this  is  done,  and  the  paper  is  again  straight- 
ened out,  the  lines  of  fold  will  be  as  in  Fig.  1.  Cut  out  the 
triangles  marked  X  in  Fig.  1,  and  the  paper  will  be  as  in 


288          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Fig.  2.  Then  cut  along  all  the  dotted  lines  in  Fig.  2,  and 
stand  the  opposite  corners  up  to  form  the  sides  and  lid  of 
the  box :  first  A  and  B,  which  are  fastened  by  folding  back 
the  little  flaps  at  the  tip  of  A,  slipping  through  the  slit  at  the 
tip  of  B,  and  then  unfolding  them  again  ;  and  then  C  and  D, 
which  are  secured  in  the  same  way. 

Cardboard  Boxes 

Cardboard  boxes,  of  a  more  useful  nature  than  paper 
boxes,  are  made  on  the  same  principle  as  the  house  described 
on  p.  239,  and  the  furniture  to  go  in  it,  as  described  later  in 
the  same  chapter.  The  whole  box  can  be  cut  in  the  flat,  out 
of  one  piece  of  cardboard,  and  the  sides  afterward  bent  up 
and  the  lid  down.  Measurements  must  of  course  be  exact. 
The  prettiest  way  to  join  the  sides  is  to  use  thin  silk  instead 
of  paper,  and  the  lid  may  be  made  to  fasten  by  a  little  bow 
of  the  same  material. 

Scraps  and  Transfers 

Paper  boxes,  when  finished,  can  be  made  more  attractive 
by  painting  on  them,  gluing  scraps  to  them,  putting  trans- 
fers here  and  there,  or  covering  them  with  spatter-work 
(see  p.  275).  Scraps  can  be  bought  at  most  stationers'  in  a 
very  great  variety.  Transfers,  which  are  taken  off  by 
moistening  in  water,  pressing  on  the  paper  with  the  slithery 
clouded  surface  downward,  and  being  gently  slipped  along, 
used  to  be  more  common  than  they  now  are. 

Directions  how  to  make  many  other  paper  things  will  be 
found  on  pp.  243-262. 

Ink  Sea-Serpents 

Dissolve  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  in  a  glass  of  water,  dip  a 
pen  in  ink  and  touch  the  point  to  the  water.  The  ink  de- 
scends in  strange  serpent-like  coils. 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  289 

A  Dancing  Man 

The    accompanying    picture  will   show  how  a   dancing 
man  is  made  to  dance.     You  hold  him  between  the  finger 


A  DANCING  MAN 

and  thumb,  one  on  each  side  of  his  waist,  and  pull  the  string. 
The  hinges  for  the  arms  and  legs,  which  are  made  of  card- 
board, can  be  made  of  bent  pins  or  little  pieces  of  string 
knotted  on  each  side. 

Velvet  Animals 

The  fashioning  of  people  and  animals  from  scraps  of 
velvet  glued  on  cardboard  was  a  pleasant  occupation  which 
interested  our  great-grandfathers  and  great-grandmothers 
when  they  were  children  many  years  ago.  A  favorite  picture 
was  of  a  boy  and  a  St.  Bernard,  in  which  the  boy's  head, 
hands,  collar,  and  pantaloons,  and  the  dog,  were  made  of  white 
velvet  painted.  The  boy's  tunic  was  black  velvet,  and  its  belt  a 


290          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

strip  of  red  paper.  The  dog's  eye  was  a  black  pin-head.  The 
whole  was  mounted  on  a  wooden  stand  with  wooden  supports 
at  the  back,  one  running  up  to  the  boy's  head  and  the  other 
to  the  tip  of  the  dog's  tail.  With  some  scraps  of  white  and 
black  velvet,  and  a  little  patience  and  ingenuity,  one  could 
make  all  the  animals  on  a  farm  and  many  in  the  Zoo. 

Hand  Dragons 

All  the  apparatus  needed  for  a  "  Hand  Dragon  "  consists 
of  a  little  cardboard  thimble  or  finger-stall,  on  which  the 
features  of  a  dragon  have  been  drawn  in  pen  and  ink  or  color. 
This  is  then  slipped  over  the  top  of  the  middle  finger,  so  that 


HAND  DRAGONS 

the  hand  becomes  its  body  and  the  other  fingers  and  thumb 
its  legs.  "With  the  exercise  of  very  little  ingenuity  in  the 
movement  of  the  fingers,  the  dragon  can  be  made  to  seem 
very  much  alive.  The  accompanying  picture  should  explain 
everything. 

Yarious  games  can  be  played  with  the  fingers.  Tiny 
caps  and  hats  can  be  made,  features  drawn  with  ink  on  the 
fingers  and  little  tissue  paper  dresses  made.  A  whole  play 
can  be  acted  or  sung  by  these  tiny  finger  marionettes. 

Other  Uses  for  Cardboard 

Once  you  have  begun  to  make  things  out  of  cardboard, 
you  will  find  no  end  to  its  possibilities  and  should  be  in  no 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  291 

more  need  of  any  hints.  After  building,  furnishing,  and 
peopling  a  dolls'  house,  a  farm  or  a  menagerie  would  be  an 
interesting  enterprise  to  start  upon.  E.  M.  R.  has  a  stud  of 
ninety-two  horses,  each  named,  and  each  provided  with  a 
horse-cloth,  a  groom,  and  harness.  She  has  also  several 
regiments  of  soldiers  and  a  staff  of  nurses,  all  cut  from  card- 
board and  painted.  She  chooses  her  horses  from  Country  Life, 
or  some  such  paper,  and  copies  them.  Another  enthusiast  has 
a  cardboard  theatre  in  which  plays  and  pantomimes  are  per- 
formed. 

It  might  be  added  that  cardboard  figures  can  be  made  to 
stand  up  either  by  leaving  a  strip  of  cardboard  at  the  bottom, 
in  which  teeth  can  be  cut  and  bent  alternately  one  way  or 
the  other,  or  by  slipping  the  feet  into  grooves  cut  in  little 
blocks  of  wood. 

Cardboard  Cut-Outs 

There  are  a  great  many  cut-outs  issued  nowadays,  which 
may  be  bought  for  a  small  sum  at  any  toy  shop.  Perhaps 
the  best  among  these  are  "  The  Mirthful  Menagerie,"  "  The 
Agile  Acrobats "  and  "  The  Magic  Changelings."  "  The 
Mirthful  Menagerie  "  when  properly  cut  out  and  pasted  to- 
gether, make  a  lot  of  animals  that  have  thickness  as  well  as 
length  and  height ;  "  The  Agile  Acrobats  "  can  be  made  to 
assume  almost  any  position,  and  in  "  The  Magic  Changelings," 
Little  Red  Riding  Hood,  for  instance,  can  be  changed  into 
the  wolf,  and  then  back  again ! 

Books  of  cut-outs  are  also  made,  in  which  the  books  are 
intact  after  the  cut-outs  have  been  removed.  "The  New 
Mother  Goose  "  gives  illustrations  of  many  of  the  Mother 
Goose  rhymes  to  be  cut  out  and  pasted  together,  and  has 
a  story  and  other  pictures  besides.  "  The  Electric  Fire 
Fighters  "  is  on  the  same  order,  only  in  this  case  the  pictures 


292  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

to  be  put  together  are  of  the  Electric  Fire-Engine,  the  Electric 
Water-Tower,  etc.  They  are  all  easily  made,  and  are  fascinat. 
ing  games  for  stormy  weather,  or  for  indoor  games  at  any 
time. 

Particulars  of  "  Snap  "  cards  and  other  home-made  cards 
will  be  found  on  pp.  77  and  78. 

Kites 

In  China,  and  to  some  extent  in  Holland,  kite-flying  is  not 
the  pastime  only  of  boys,  but  of  grave  men.  And  certainly 
grave  men  might  do  many  more  foolish  things.  To  feel  a 
kite  pulling  at  your  hands,  to  let  out  string  and  see  it  climb 
higher  and  higher  and  higher  into  the  sky — this  is  a  real  joy. 
For  good  kite-flying  you  want  plenty  of  room  and  a  steady 
wind  ;  hence  a  big  field  is  the  best  place,  unless  you  are  at  the 
seaside  when  there  is  a  wind  off  the  land,  in  which  case  you 
can  fly  your  kite  from  the  beach.  To  make  an  ordinary, 
serviceable  kite,  take  two  laths  (which  can  be  bought  for  a 
penny  from  any  builder),  one  three  feet  long  (A A  in  the  pic- 
ture) and  the  other  two  feet  (BB).  Screw  BB  with  two 
screws  exactly  in  the  middle,  at  right  angles  to  A  A,  at  C,  a 
foot  from  the  top.  Then  take  some  stout  twine  of  good 
quality  and  make  the  outline  of  the  kite  by  tying  it  securely 
to  the  ends  of  each  of  the  laths.  Next  take  the  thinnest  un- 
bleached calico  you  can  find,  stretch  it  fairly  tightly,  and  sew 
it  over  the  strings.  (Or  strong  but  light  paper  will  do,  pasted 
over  the  string.)  Make  a  hole  (D)  through  the  upright  lath 
and  calico,  midway  between  the  cross-piece  and  the  top,  and 
another  hole  (E)  about  fifteen  inches  below  the  cross-piece, 
and  tie  a  strong  string,  two  and  a  half  feet  long,  to  these 
holes,  with  a  loop  (F)  in  it  a  foot  from  the  top  hole.  To  this 
loop  you  will  tie  the  string  of  the  kite.  The  tail  (G)  is  made 
of  pieces  of  paper  about  six  inches  long,  rolled  tightly  and 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS 


293 


tied  at  distances  of  a  foot.  Its  exact  length  will  depend  on 
the  strength  of  the  wind  and  can  be  determined  only  by  ex. 
perience,  but,  roughly  speaking,  it  should  be  five  times  the 
height  of  the  kite,  or,  with  the  kite  which  we  are  making, 
fifteen  feet  long.  It  is  best  to  have  the  tail  in  two  or  three 

A 


A  KITE 


pieces,  and  then  it  can  be  lengthened  or  shortened  at  will. 
For  instance,  if  the  kite  plunges  in  the  air  and  will  not  keep 
steady,  the  tail  is  not  long  enough ;  but  if  it  will  go  up  only  a 
little  way,  the  tail  is  probably  too  long.  Be  sure  to  have 
plenty  of  string,  carefully  wound,  so  that  there  will  be  no 


294          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 


TO  FEEL  A  KITE  PULLING  AT  YOUR  HANDS— THI8  IS  REAL  JOY 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  295 

hitches  in  paying  it  out.  When  starting  a  kite  you  need  the 
help  of  some  one  who  will  stand  about  thirty  yards  away, 
holding  the  kite  against  the  wind,  and  throw  it  straight  up 
when  you  have  the  line  tight  and  give  the  signal.  If  it  does 
not  rise  it  may  be  well  for  you  to  run  a  few  yards  against  the 
wind.  At  first  you  must  not  pay  out  line  very  rapidly,  but 
when  the  kite  is  flying  steadily  you  may  give  it,  also  steadily, 
all  the  string  it  wants. 

Kite  Messengers 

A  messenger  is  a  piece  of  cardboard  or  paper  with  a 
good-sized  hole  in  it,  which  you  slip  over  the  string  when  the 
kite  is  steady,  and  which  is  carried  right  up  to  the  kite  by  the 
wind. 

A  Simple  Toy  Boat 

The  following  directions,  with  exact  measurements,  apply 
to  one  of  the  simplest  home-made  sailing-boats.  Take  a  piece 
of  soft  straight-grained  pine,  which  any  carpenter  or  builder 
will  let  you  have,  one  foot  long,  four  inches  wide,  and  two 
inches  deep.  On  the  top  of  the  four-inch  side  draw  an  out- 
line as  in  Fig.  1,  in  which  you  will  be  helped  by  first  dividing 
the  wood  by  the  pencil  line  AB,  exactly  in  the  middle.  Then 
turn  the  block  over  and  divide  the  under  four-inch  side  with 
a  similar  line,  and  placing  the  saw  an  eighth  of  an  inch  each 
side  of  this  line,  cut  two  incisions  right  along  the  wood  about 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep.  The  portion  between  these  two 
incisions  forms  the  keel.  Then  carry  the  line  up  the  middle 
of  the  end  A,  and  repeat  the  incisions  as  along  the  bottom, 
these  making  the  boat's  stem-post.  Next  turn  to  the  top 
again,  and  make  a  line,  similar  to  the  dotted  line  CC  in  Fig.  1, 
about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  inside  the  outline  of  the  boat, 
and  then  carefully  hollow  out  with  a  gouge  everything  inside 
this  dotted  line.  It  must  be  very  carefully  done;  it  is  better, 


296 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  7 


indeed,  to  err  on  the  side  of  not  hollowing  her  out  enough, 
and  then  a  little  more  can  be  removed  afterward.  Next 
shape  the  outside,  first  with  a  saw  and  then  with  a  chisel, 
again  using  the  utmost  care.  Try  to  give  her  a  fine  bow,  or 
"entry,"  and  a  good  clean  stern,  or  "  run."  If  the  boat  were 
cut  in  two  crossways  in  the  middle,  the  section  ought  to  re 


A  TOY  BOAT 

semble  that  in  Fig.  2.  This  flat  "floor"  will  be  graduated 
away  to  nothing  at  bow  and  stern.  Next  fix  on  the  lead  keel 
(see  K  in  Fig.  3),  which  should  be  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick, 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep  at  the  bow,  and  three-quarters  at 
the  stern,  fastened  on  with  four  long  thin  screws.  Next  make 
the  deck,  which  should  not  be  more  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch 
thick  and  should  fit  very  closely  at  the  edges. 

The  mast  (C),  which  should  be  about  three-eighths  of  an 
inch  in  diameter  at  the  foot,  and  should  taper  slightly,  must 
stand  one  foot  above  the  deck,  and  pass  through  the  deck  four 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  297 

and  a  half  inches  from  the  bow.  First  pass  it  through  the 
hole  in  the  deck  and  place  it  in  position,  leaning  a  little  back 
from  the  bows ;  then  slip  up  the  deck  and  mark  the  place  in 
the  bottom  of  the  boat  where  the  mast  rests,  and  there  fix, 
with  four  small  brass  screws,  a  block  of  wood  with  a  hole  in 
it,  into  which  the  mast  can  be  firmly  "  stepped."  Then  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  deck,  just  in  front  of  the  mast-hole,  screw  a 
small  eyelet.  This  is  to  hold  the  line  called  the  foresail  sheet 
(L),  but  as  the  deck  is  only  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick  you 


A  TOY  BOAT 

must  place  a  little  block  of  wood  under  the  deck,  into  which 
the  eyelet  can  be  screwed.  Directly  this  is  done,  the  deck  is 
ready  to  be  screwed  firmly  to  the  boat  with  brass  screws.  If 
you  are  in  any  doubt  as  to  its  being  water-tight,  you  had  bet- 
ter bore  a  hole  in  it  and  put  a  cork  in,  so  that  you  can  tip  it 
up  and  empty  it  after  each  voyage. 

The  bowsprit  (J),  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  should 
be  three  and  a  half  inches  long,  two  inches  of  which  project 
beyond  the  bow.  Screw  it  firmly  to  the  boat.  You  have 
now  to  shape  the  boom  (F)  and  gaff  (D),  which  must  have  a 
fork  at  the  end,  as  in  Fig.  4,  to  embrace  the  mast,  the  ends  of 
this  fork  being  joined  by  string.  The  boom  should  be  eight 
and  a  half  inches  long  and  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diam 


298          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

eter,  and  the  gaff  five  inches  long  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
diameter.  The  gaff  is  kept  in  position,  about  three  inches 
from  the  mast-head,  by  the  throat  halyards  and  peak  halyards, 
to  which  we  now  come.  The  peak  halyards  (H),  throat  hal- 
yards (G),  and  foresail  halyards  (F)  should  be  of  very  fine 
fishing-line.  After  being  tied  respectively  to  the  gaff  and 
foresail,  they  pass  through  small  holes  in  the  mast,  down  to 
eyelets  screwed  into  the  bulwarks  on  each  side  of  the  mast. 

The  foresail  sheet  (L)  and  main  sheet  (M),  which  are  some 
four  inches  long,  are  hitched  to  eyelets  screwed  into  the  deck 
amidships,  one  just  in  front  of  the  mast,  as  already  explained, 
and  the  other  about  two  inches  from  the  stern.  The  sails  must 
be  of  thin  calico,  neatly  hemmed  round.  Both  sails  should 
come  to  about  three  inches  of  the  head  of  the  mast.  The 
foresail  is  fastened  only  to  the  tip  of  the  bowsprit,  the  foresail 
halyards,  and  foresail  sheet;  the  mainsail  to  the  gaff,  all 
along,  and  to  each  end  of  the  boom. 

Nothing  has  been  said  about  a  rudder,  because  a  boat 
built  and  rigged  in  the  manner  described  would  balance  her- 
self, and  so  keep  on  any  course  on  which  she  was  laid.  With 
a  very  little  wind  she  ought  to  cross  and  recross  a  pond  with- 
out any  hitch,  all  that  will  be  necessary  being  to  let  the  sails 
have  plenty  of  play,  by  loosening  the  foresail  sheet  and  main 
sheet,  and  to  give  her  a  steady  push. 

Walnut  Shell  Boats 

To  make  a  boat  from  a  walnut  shell,  you  scoop  out  the 
half  shell  and  cut  a  piece  of  cardboard  of  a  size  to  cover  the 
top.  Through  the  middle  of  this  piece  of  cardboard  you 
thrust  a  match,  and  then,  dropping  a  little  sealing-wax  into 
the  bottom  of  the  shell,  and  putting  some  round  the  edge,  you 
fix  the  match  and  the  cardboard  to  it.  A  sail  is  made  by 
cutting  out  a  square  of  paper  and  fastening  it  to  the  match  by 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  299 

means  of  two   holes;  but  the  boat  will  swim  much  better 
without  it. 

Walnut  Fights 

Here  it  might  be  remarked  that  capital  contests  can  be 
had  with  the  empty  halves  of  walnut  shells.  A  plate  is  turned 
upside  down,  and  the  two  fighters  place  their  walnuts  point  to 
point  in  the  middle.  At  the  given  word  they  begin  to  push, 
one  against  the  other,  by  steady  pressure  of  finger  and  thumb 
on  the  stern  of  the  shell.  The  battle  is  over  when  the  prow 
of  one  shell  crashes  through  the  prow  of  the  other.  This 
always  happens  sooner  or  later,  but  sometimes  the  battles  are 
long  and  severe.  At  the  end  of  each  contest  the  number  of 
shells  defeated  by  the  victor  should  be  marked  on  it,  and  it 
should  be  carefully  kept  for  the  next  conflict.  At  school  we 
used  to  have  tremendous  excitement  when  two  champions 
met,  a  walnut  with  a  record  of  520,  for  instance,  and  another 
with  TOO.  The  winner  in  such  a  battle  as  this  would,  of 
course,  be  numbered  1,221,  because  you  always  add  not  only 
your  defeated  adversary  to  your  score,  but  all  his  victims  too. 

Suckers 

A  sucker  is  a  round  piece  of  strong  leather.  Thread  a 
piece  of  string  through  the  middle,  and  knot  the  string  at  the 
end  to  prevent  it  being  pulled  through.  Soak  the  sucker  in 
water  until  it  is  soft,  and  then  press  it  carefully  over  a  big 
smooth  stone,  or  anything  else  that  is  smooth,  so  that  no  air 
can  get  in.  If  you  and  the  string  are  strong  enough,  the 
sucker  will  lift  great  weights. 

Skipjacks 

The  wish-bone  of  a  goose  makes  a  good  skipjack.  It 
should  be  cleaned  and  left  for  a  day  or  two  before  using. 
Then  take  a  piece  of  strong  thin  string,  double  it,  and  tie  it 


300 


WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW 


firmly  to  the  two  ends  of  the  wish-bone,  about  an  inch 
from  the  end  on  each  side.  Take  a  strip  of  wood  a  little 
shorter  than  the  bone,  and  cut  a  notch  round  it  about  half  an 
inch  from  one  end.  Then  slip  it  half  way  between  the  double 


A  SKIPJACK 

string,  and  twist  the  string  round  and  round  until  the  resist- 
ance becomes  really  strong.  Then  pull  the  stick  through  to 
the  notch,  into  which  the  string  will  settle,  and  tie  it  at  each 
side,  so  that  it  is  not  likely  to  slip  either  way.  A  little  piece 
of  cobblers'  wax  must  be  put  on  the  bone  on  the  other  side  to 
that  where  the  stick  naturally  touches.  Pull  the  stick  right 
over  to  stick  on  the  wax,  and  lay  the  skipjack,  stick  down- 
ward, on  the  ground.  In  a  little  while  the  wax  will  give  way, 
and  the  wish-bone  will  spring  high  into  the  air. 

A  Water-Cutter 

The  cut-water  is  best  made  of  tin  or  lead,  but  stout  card- 
board or  wood  will  serve  the  purpose.  First  cut  the  material 
into  a  round,  and  then  make  teeth  in  it  like  a  saw.  Thus  :  — 


A  WATER-CUTTER 

Then  bore  two  holes  in  it,  as  in  the  drawing,  and  thread 
strings  through  them,  tying  the  strings  at  each  end.     Hold  the 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  301 

strings  firmly,  and  twist  them  a  little.  Then,  by  pulling  at 
them  to  untwist  them,  the  cut- water  will  be  put  in  motion, 
first  one  way,  while  they  are  being  untwisted,  and  then  the 
other,  while  they  twist  up  again.  If  held  just  over  a  basin 
of  water,  the  notches  will  send  spray  a  great  distance,  but  you 
must  be  careful  to  dip  them  only  when  the  cut- water  is  revolv- 
ing away  from  you,  or  you  will  be  soaked. 


Whistles 

With  a  sharp  knife  a  very  good  whistle  can  be  made  of 
hazel  or  willow,  cut  in  the  spring  or  early  summer.  A  piece 
of  wood  about  three  inches  long  should  be  used.  Remember 
what  an  ordinary  tin  whistle  is  like,  and  cut  the  mouthpiece 
at  a  similar  angle,  and  also  cut  a  little  nick  out  of  the  bark,  in 
the  place  of  the  hole  immediately  beyond  the  mouthpiece  in 
the  metal  instrument.  Then  cut  all  round  the  bark  about  an 
inch  from  the  other  end  of  the  stick,  hold  the  bark  firmly 
with  one  hand  clasped  round  it,  and  hold  the  inch  at  the 
opposite  end  firmly  with  the  fingers  of  the  other,  and  pull.  The 
greater  portion  of  bark  should  slide  off  quite  easily.  You  will 
then  have  a  tube  of  bark  about  two  inches  long,  and  a  white 
stick  about  three  inches  long,  with  an  inch  of  bark  remaining 
on  it.  Cut  from  the  mouthpiece  end  of  this  stick  as  much  as 
exactly  fits  between  the  end  and  the  little  nick  in  the  bark 
which  you  have  already  made.  Shave  the  top  until  it  is  flat 
(just  as  in  an  ordinary  whistle),  and  place  it  inside  the  bark 
again.  Then  cut  off  from  the  white  part  of  the  stick  all  but 
a  quarter  of  an  inch :  fit  this  into  the  other  end  of  the  bark 
tube,  and  you  ought  to  get  a  good  shrill  whistle.  It  will  be 
better  if  you  keep  a  pea  inside. 


302  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Christmas  —  Evergreen  Decorations 
Getting  ready  for  Christmas  is  almost  as  good  as  Christ 
mas  itself.  The  decorations  can  be  either  natural  or  artificial 
or  a  mixture  of  both.  In  using  evergreens  for  ropes,  it  is  best 
to  have  a  foundation  of  real  cord  of  the  required  length,  and 
tie  the  pieces  of  shrub  and  ivy  to  it,  either  with  string  or 
floral  wire.  This  prevents  any  chance  of  its  breaking.  For 
a  garland  or  any  device  of  a  definite  shape,  the  foundation 
could  be  a  stiffer  wire,  or  laths  of  wood.  Ivy  chains  are 
described  on  page  135. 

Paper  Decorations 

The  simplest  form  of  paper  chain  is  made  of  colored 
tissue  paper  and  glue.  You  merely  cut  strips  the  size  of  the 
links  and  join  them  one  by  one. 

For  paper  flowers,  paper  and  tools  are  especially  made. 
But  for  the  purposes  of  home  decoration  ordinary  tissue 
paper,  wire,  glue,  and  scissors  will  serve  well  enough. 

Mottoes 

Mottoes  and  good  wishes  can  be  lettered  in  cotton  wool 
on  a  background  of  scarlet  or  other  colored  linen  or  lining 
paper.  Scarlet  is  perhaps  the  most  cheery.  Or  you  can  make 
more  delicate  letters  by  sewing  holly  berries  on  to  a  white 
background  ;  and  small  green  letters  can  be  made  by  sewing 
box  leaves  on  a  white  background.  For  larger  green  letters 
and  also  for  bordering,  holly  leaves  and  laurel  leaves  are  good. 
Cotton-wool  makes  the  best  snow. 

Christmas  Trees. 

In  hanging  things  on  the  Christmas  tree  you  have  to  be 
careful  that  nothing  is  placed  immediately  over  a  candle,  nor 
should  a  branch  of  the  tree  itself  be  near  enough  to  a  candle 


INDOOR  OCCUPATIONS  303 

to  catch  fire.  After  all  the  things  are  taken  off  the  tree  there 
is  no  harm  in  its  burning  a  little,  because  the  smell  of  a  burn- 
ing Christmas  tree  is  one  of  the  best  smells  there  is.  To  put 
presents  of  any  value  on  the  tree  is  perhaps  a  mistake,  partly 
because  they  run  a  chance  of  being  injured  by  fire  or  grease, 
and  partly  because  they  are  heavy.  The  best  things  of  all  are 
candles,  as  many  as  possible,  and  silver  balls  which  reflect. 
On  the  top  there  should,  of  course,  be  either  a  Father  Christ- 
mas, or  a  Christ  child,  as  the  Germans,  who  understand 
Christmas  trees  even  better  than  we  do,  always  have.  For 
lighting  the  candles  a  long  taper  is  useful,  and  for  putting 
them  out,  an  extinguisher  tied  to  a  stick. 

Bran-Tubs  or  Jack  Horner  Pies 

Bran-tubs  or  Jack  Horner  Pies  are  not  so  common  as 
they  used  to  be,  but  there  is  no  better  way  of  giving  your 
guests  presents  at  random.  As  many  presents  as  there  are 
children  are  wrapped  up  in  paper  and  hidden  in  a  tub  filled 
with  bran.  This  is  placed  on  a  dust-sheet,  and  the  visitors 
dip  their  hands  in  and  pull  out  each  a  parcel.  The  objection 
to  the  bran-tub  is  that  boys  sometimes  draw  out  things  more 
suitable  for  girls.  This  difficulty  could  be  got  over  by  having 
two  tubs,  one  for  girls  and  one  for  boys.  Sometimes  the  rib- 
bon of  each  parcel  is  long  and  falls  over  the  edge  of  the  dish. 
The  boys  take  one  color  ribbon,  and  the  girls  the  other,  and 
all  pull  at  the  same  time. 

Philopenas 

Two  games  with  nuts  and  cherries  may  as  well  go  at  the 
end  of  this  section  as  anywhere  else.  Almonds  sometimes 
contain  double  kernels.  These  are  called  Philopenas,  and  you 
must  never  waste  them  by  eating  both  yourself,  but  find  some 
one  to  share  them  with.  There  are  several  ways  of  playing. 


304  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

One  is  "  Yes  or  No,"  in  which  the  one  who  first  says  eithei 
"  yes  "  or  "  no  "  must  pay  a  forfeit  to  the  other.  Another  is 
"  Give  and  Take,"  in  which  the  one  that  first  takes  something 
that  the  other  hands  him  is  the  loser.  Or  whichever  of  you 
first  says  to  the  other  "  Good  morning,  Philopena,"  on  the 
following  day,  or  the  next  time  you  meet,  wins  a  present.  Or 
this  is  sometimes  played  that  whoever  first  answers  a  question 
put  to  him  by  the  other  must  pay  a  forfeit.  Of  course  this 
makes  great  fun  in  trying  to  invent  and  evade  plausible 
questions. 

Cherry  Contests 

Cherry-eating  races  can  be  very  exciting.  The  players 
stand  in  a  row  with  their  hands  behind  them,  and  a  number 
of  long-stalked  cherries  are  chosen  from  the  basket  and  placed 
by  the  tip  of  the  stalk  between  their  teeth.  At  the  word  of 
command  the  players  begin  their  efforts  to  draw  the  cherry 
up  by  the  stalk  into  their  mouths.  All  heads  must  be  held 
down. 


CANDY-MAKING 


CANDY-MAKING 

Utensils 

FOR  making  candy  you  will  need  an  enamel  or  earthen- 
ware saucepan  ;  a  long  wooden  spoon  ;  one  or  two  old 
soup-plates  or  dishes ;  a  bowl,  if  there  is  any  mixing  to 
be  done  ;  a  cup  of  cold  water  for  testing  ;  a  silver  knife  ;  and, 
if  you  are  not  cooking  in  the  kitchen,  a  piece  of  oil-cloth  or 
several  thicknesses  of  brown  paper  to  lay  on  the  table. 

General  Directions 

Butter  the  dish  into  which  the  candy  is  to  be  poured  be- 
fore you  begin  to  cook.  To  do  this  put  a  little  piece  of  butter 
on  a  piece  of  clean  soft  paper  and  rub  it  all  over  the  dish. 

Always  stir  round  the  edge  as  well  as  the  middle  of  the 
saucepan.  Stir  slowly  but  continually,  for  candy  burns  very 
quickly  if  left  alone. 

The  flavoring  should  be  added  just  before  taking  the 
saucepan  off  the  fire. 

To  find  out  if  your  taffy  or  candy  has  boiled  long  enough, 
drop  a  little  in  the  cup  of  cold  water.  If  it  at  once  becomes 
crisp  and  hard,  it  is  done. 

Before  your  candy  is  quite  cold,  mark  it  with  a  silver 
knife  into  squares.  This  will  make  it  break  up  more  easily 
and  neatty  when  cold. 

Barley  Sugar 

1  lb.  powdered  sugar.  $  a  pint  of  water. 

The  white  of  an  egg.  £  a  lemon. 

Dissolve  the  sugar  in  the  water,  and  add  the  well-beaten 
white  of  an  egg  (this  must  be  done  before  the  mixture  is 
heated).  Then  put  on  the  fire  in  a  strong  saucepan.  Remove 
all  scum  as  it  rises,  and  when  the  syrup  begins  to  look  clearr 

307 


308          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

take  off  the  fire  and  strain  through  muslin.  Put  the  syrup 
back  into  the  saucepan  and  let  it  boil  quickly  until  you  find 
by  testing  it  that  it  is  done.  Then  add  the  juice  of  the  lemon 
and  pour  on  to  a  buttered  dish.  Before  the  mixture  sets  cut 
it  into  strips  and  twist. 

Chocolate  Caramels 

1  tea-cup  golden  syrup.  2  oz.  butter. 

1  tea-cup  brown  sugar.  4  oz.  powdered  chocolate. 

1  tea-cup  milk.  A  pinch  of  salt. 

16  drops  vanilla. 

Boil  all  together  for  half  an  hour,  stirring  continually. 

Cocoanut  caramels  are  made  in  the  same  way,  except 
that  1  oz.  of  grated  or  desiccated  cocoanut  is  used  instead  of 
the  chocolate. 

Cocoanut  Cream 
1£  Ib.  granulated  sugar.  4  oz.  grated  cocoanut. 

Melt  the  sugar  with  as  little  water  as  possible.  Continue 
to  let  it  boil  gently  until  the  syrup  begins  to  return  to  sugar 
again.  Directly  this  happens  put  in  the  cocoanut  and  mix 
thoroughly.  Pour  the  mixture  into  a  flat  dish  or  tin. 

Cocoanut  Cream  (another  way) 
1  oocoanut,  grated.  $  a  cup  of  cocoanut-milk. 

1  Ib.  granulated  sugar.  1  oz.  butter. 

Put  the  sugar,  cocoanut-milk,  and  butter  into  a  saucepan. 
When  they  boil,  add  the  cocoanut  gradually.  Boil  for  ten 
minutes,  stirring  all  the  time.  Pour  the  mixture  into  a  basin 
and  beat  till  nearly  cold,  then  turn  out  into  a  dish. 

Cocoanut  Drops 

}  Ib.  cocoanut,  grated.  J  Ib.  white  sugar. 

The  whites  of  2  eggs,  well  beaten. 

Mix  well  together  and  bake  in  drops  on  buttered  paper 
for  fifteen  minutes. 


CANDY-MAKING  309 

Cream  Caramels 

1  tin  Nestles  milk.  2  oz.  butter. 

1  Ib.  soft  white  sugar.  Vanilla. 

Melt  the  sugar  with  a  very  little  water,  and  when  boil- 
ing add  the  butter  and  Nestle's  milk.  Stir  continually,  as  the 
mixture  burns  very  easily,  for  fifteen  minutes.  Try  in  water 
to  see  if  it  will  set.  Add  the  vanilla,  pour  into  a  dish,  and 
beat  until  nearly  cold. 

One  ounce  of  cocoanut  or  2  of  grated  chocolate  can  be 
used  instead  of  vanilla  to  flavor  the  above. 

Fruit  Cream 

1  cocoanut,  grated. 

1J  Ib.  granulated  sugar,  moistened  with  a  little  cocoanut-milk. 

Put  the  sugar  in  a  saucepan  and  let  it  heat  slowly.  Then 
boil  rapidly  five  minutes ;  add  grated  cocoanut,  and  boil  ten 
minutes.  Stir  constantly.  Put  a  little  on  a  cold  plate,  and  if 
it  makes  a  firm  paste,  take  from  fire.  Pour  part  of  it  into  a 
large  tin  lined  with  greased  paper  ;  and  add  to  what  remains 
in  the  saucepan,  chopped  blanched  almonds,  candied  cherries, 
nuts,  etc.  Pour  this  over  the  other  cream,  and  cut  in  bars. 

Pop- Corn 

The  corn  has  to  be  "  popped  "  over  a  clear  fire  in  a  little 
iron  basket  with  a  long  handle.  The  corn  is  put  in  the  basket 
and  shaken  continually,  and  in  time  each  grain  pops  suddenly 
and  becomes  a  little  irregular  white  ball.  These  can  be  eaten 
with  salt,  or  rolled  in  a  sweet  syrup  (colored  and  flavored  as 
you  like  it  best)  made  of  y2  Ib.  of  white  sugar  boiled  for  ten 
minutes  with  a  very  little  water. 

The  Plainest  Toffee 
3  oz.  butter.  1  Ib.  brown  sugar. 

Stir  until  done. 


310  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

Another  Toffee 

1  lb.  raw  sugar.  2  small  tablespoonfuls  of  syrup. 

£  lb.  butter.  The  juice  of  half  a  lemon. 

Half  a  teaspoonful  of  powdered  ginger. 

Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  and  then  add  the  sugar, 
syrup,  and  ginger.  Stir  continually,  adding  a  little  lemon 
juice  every  now  and  then.  Boil  for  ten  minutes,  and  then 
test  in  cold  water. 

Two  ounces  of  blanched  and  split  almonds  can  be  added 
to  the  above.  The  almonds  should  either  be  mixed  with  the 
toffee  just  before  taking  it  off  the  fire,  or  else  a  well-buttered 
dish  should  be  lined  with  them  and  the  toffee  poured  over. 

To  blanch  almonds,  put  them  in  a  bowl  and  cover  them 
with  boiling  water.  Put  a  saucer  over  the  bowl  to  keep  the 
steam  in,  and  leave  for  about  three  minutes.  Then  take  out 
the  almonds  one  by  one  and  rub  off  their  brown  skins  be- 
tween your  fingers. 

Everton  Toffee 

1  lb.  brown  sugar.  1  small  cup  of  water. 

*  lb.  of  butter. 

Boil  the  water  and  sugar  together  very  gently  until  the 
sugar  is  melted.  Then  add  the  butter  and  boil  all  together 
for  half  an  hour. 

Molasses  Candy 

£  lb.  molasses.  £  lb.  brown  sugar. 

2oz.  butter. 

Boil  all  together  for  half  an  hour. 

Nut  Candy 

1  pint  of  chopped  nuts.  3  oz.  butter. 

$  lb.  brown  sugar.  Juice  of  one  lemon. 

Tablespoonful  of  water. 

Boil  everything,  except   the  nuts,  for  twenty  minutes, 


CANDY-MAKING  311 

stirring  all  the  time.     Test,  and  if  done,  add  the  nuts.     Stir 
them  in  thoroughly  and  pour  off  into  a  dish. 

Nut  Candy  (another  way) 

\  lb.  brown  sugar.  6  oz.  butter. 

3  oz.  chopped  nuts. 

Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  then  add  the  sugar.  Boil 
from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes  and  then  add  the  nuts.  Walnuts, 
Brazil  nuts,  almonds,  or  peanuts  (which  have  been  baked) 
may  be  used. 

Peppermint  Candy 

1  lb.  syrup.  2  oz.  butter. 

1  small  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  peppermint. 

Boil  the  butter  and  syrup  very  gently  until  the  mixture 
hardens  when  tested  in  water.  Add  the  peppermint  and  pour 
into  well-buttered  dishes. 

Stuffed  Dates,  etc. 

Yery  dainty  and  good  sweets  can  be  made  without  cook- 
ing at  all.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  have  a  certain  amount 
of  cream  with  which  to  stuff  or  surround  stoned  dates,  cherries, 
and  French  plums,  or  walnuts  and  almonds. 

The  cream  is  made  in  this  way.  Put  the  white  of  an  egg 
and  one  ta  blespoonf ul  of  water  into  a  bowl,  and  into  this  stir 
gradually  1  lb.  of  confectioner's  sugar  (confectioner's  sugar  or 
"  icing  "  is  the  only  kind  that  will  do),  working  it  very  smooth 
with  a  spoon.  This  will  make  a  stiff  paste,  which  can  be 
moulded  into  whatever  shape  you  please.  The  cream  can 
then  be  divided  into  different  portions,  and  each  portion 
flavored  as  you  like  best.  A  few  drops  of  vanilla  or  lemon 
juice,  a  little  grated  cocoanut  or  chocolate,  or  some  pounded 
almonds,  make  excellent  flavorings.  Part  of  it  can  be 
colored  pink  with  cochineal,  or  green  with  spinach-coloring. 


312  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

When  this  is  done,  stone  some  dates,  French  plums,  or 
raisins,  or  blanch  some  almonds  and  slit  them  in  two,  or  have 
ready  a  number  of  the  dried  walnuts  which  can  be  bought  at 
any  grocer's.  Only  the  perfect  halves  must  be  used.  Form 
some  of  the  cream  into  little  balls  and  put  it  between  two 
walnut  halves  or  two  almond  halves,  or  stuff  the  other  fruit 
with  it.  Trim  all  the  sweets  very  neatly  with  a  knife  and 
roll  them  in  granulated  sugar.  This  is  prettier  when  it  has 
been  colored  pink  or  green,  but  there  is  no  necessity  to  do  so. 

To  color  the  sugar,  mix  about  1  oz.  with  a  few  drops  of 
green  or  pink  coloring ;  dry  it  thoroughly,  and,  if  the  grains 
are  not  quite  free,  put  the  sugar  between  some  paper  and  roll 
it,  or  crush  with  an  iron. 

Another  richer  mixture  for  filling  dates,  etc.,  can  be  made 
as  follows : — Mix  y2  Ib.  of  ground  almonds  with  1  oz.of  ground 
pistachios.  Beat  the  whites  of  3  eggs  to  a  stiff  froth  and  add 
the  almonds  and  y2  Ib.  of  confectioner's  sugar.  Color  with 
green.  Almonds  can  be  bought  already  ground. 


GARDENING 


GARDENING 

Introductory 

ALTHOUGH  young  America  is  growing  more  and 
more  fond  of  out  of-doors,  the  lovely  old  occupation  of 
gardening  is  less  a  favorite  than  formerly :  and  this 
is  a  great  pity,  for  if  one  loves  flowers,  nothing  so  repays 
labor  as  gardening.  Nor  is  it  necessary  to  have  a  large  tract 
of  ground  to  cultivate.  Indeed  a  tiny  piece,  well  tended,  is 
both  more  interesting  and  more  successful.  A  corner  of  a 
city  back-yard  —  even  a  window-box  can  be  a  source  of  never- 
failing  entertainment ;  although  of  course  a  little  plot  of  rich 
earth  in  one  part  of  a  lawn  or  country  garden,  lends  itself  to 
greater  and  more  extensive  plans.  The  important  thing 
about  growing  plants  is  to  like  to  do  it.  If  you  are  impatient 
of  routine  and  neglectful  you  should  not  be  intrusted  with 
plants  any  more  than  with  animal  pets,  for  they  are  both  en- 
tirely dependent  on  your  care. 

It  is  your  business,  as  a  gardener,  to  know  everything  you 
can  about  your  flowers.  A  gardener  should  be  able  to  recog- 
nize seeds  as  well  as  seedlings  ;  to  know  what  treatment  each 
flower  likes  best ;  and  to  exercise  a  special  care  for  tender 
plants  which  need  protection  until  there  is  no  longer  any 
danger  of  frost.  The  beauty  of  a  flower  depends  very  much 
upon  its  content.  Many  flowers  need  particular  soils  ;  some 
need  dry  soil,  some  moisture,  some  shade,  and  some  sun  ;  and 
the  gardener,  who  is  a  kind  of  mother  to  the  flowers,  will 
have  to  remember  all  those  things.  In  return,  the  flowers, 


316  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

which  have  a  real  sense  of  gratitude  to  those  who  care  for 
them  tenderly,  will  do  their  best  to  grow  beautiful. 

It  is  best  to  begin  with  a  few  flowers  and  to  learn  all 
that  one  can  about  these.  Annuals  will  scarcely  ever  fail  if 
carefully  sown  in  good  soil.  In  making  your  choice,  choose 
so  that  you  will  have  flowers  from  spring  to  autumn.  Peren- 
nial plants  are  the  most  satisfactory  of  all  to  grow ;  for  once 
planted  they  need  only  a  very  little  attention  and  increase  in 
size  each  year.  Bulbs  produce  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
flowers  and  are  very  easy  to  grow.  But  great  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  dig  into  them  after  their  blossoms  have  died 
down. 

Besides  those  flowers  for  the  growing  of  which  directions 
are  hereafter  given  there  are  many  tender  ones  which  must  be 
raised  in  frames.  This  is  a  part  of  gardening  which  can 
well  be  left  until  later  and  upon  which  instructions  can  be 
found  in  any  more  advanced  book  on  horticulture. 

Color  in  the  Garden 

In  arranging  a  garden,  select  flowers  which  will  keep  it 
full  of  blossom  from  May  to  October,  and  remember  when 
planting  and  sowing  that  some  colors  are  more  beautiful  to- 
gether than  others.  The  color  arrangement  of  a  garden  is 
always  difficult,  but  one  must  learn  by  experience.  Scarlet 
and  crimson,  crimson  and  blue,  should  not  be  put  together, 
and  magenta-colored  flowers  are  never  satisfactory.  Whites 
and  yellows,  and  whites  and  blues,  are  always  suitable  to- 
gether, and  for  the  rest  you  must  please  yourself. 

The  Use  of  Catalogues 

A  good  catalogue  gives  illustrations  of  most  flowers,  and 
in  many  cases  its  cultural  directions  are  very  helpful.  As  an 
extension  of  the  notes  that  follow  nothing  could  be  more  use- 
ful than  two  or  three  catalogues  issued  by  good  growers. 


GARDENING  317 

Gardening  Diaries 

It  is  a  good  thing  for  a  gardener  to  keep  a  diary.  At  the 
•beginning  of  the  book  he  would  make  a  plan  of  the  garden,  to 
scale  :  that  is  to  say,  allowing  one  inch,  or  more,  in  the  plan 
for  every  foot  of  bed.  In  this  plan  would  be  marked  the  po- 
sition of  the  bulbs  and  perennial  plants.  The  diary  would 
take  note  of  everything  that  happened  in  the  garden.  The 
sowing  of  seeds  would  be  recorded  ;  also  when  the  seedlings 
first  appear ;  when  they  are  thinned  out,  and  when  they  blos- 
som :  in  fact,  everything  to  do  with  the  life  of  the  plants.  A 
little  collection  of  drawings  of  seedlings  would  be  of  great 
use  in  helping  to  distinguish  them  another  year.  At  the  end 
of  the  book  might  be  written  the  names  of  any  plants  that  the 
owner  would  like  to  have,  or  any  special  information  about 
the  culture  of  a  plant,  or  the  description  of  some  arrangement 
which  had  been  admired  in  another  garden. 

Flower-Shows 

Where  several  children  have  gardens  in  the  same  big 
garden,  or  the  same  neighborhood,  a  flower-show  is  very  in- 
teresting to  hold  now  and  then.  To  do  this  it  is  needful  first 
to  find  some  one  willing  to  act  as  judge,  and  —  if  agreeable  — 
to  give  several  small  prizes  in  addition  to  certificates  of  merit. 
The  different  things  for  which  prizes  are  offered  will  depend, 
of  course,  upon  what  the  competitors  can  grow.  There  might 
be  prizes  for  different  flowers,  for  collections  of  flowers,  and 
for  lettuces  or  radishes,  if  there  are  enough  competitors  who 
grow  such  things.  But  the  most  important  prize  would  go 
perhaps  to  the  owner  of  the  best-kept  garden.  Another  for 
the  bent  arrangement  of  bunches  of  flowers,  garden  and  wild, 
might  lead  to  some  very  pretty  bouquets. 


318          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

Tools 

For  simple  gardening  the  following  tools  are  needed :  — 
spade,  trowel,  hoe,  rake,  watering-can  with  a  tine  rose,  syringe. 
They  should  all  be  strong  and  good.  Besides  these  tools  you 
will  need  either  wooden  labels  or  other  home-made  means  of 
marking  seeds,  some  strong  sticks  to  use  as  supports  for  tall- 
growing  plants,  and  tape  to  tie  them  up  with.  A  pair  of 
gloves  —  any  old  ones  will  do  —  is  very  necessary. 

Watering 

Plants  should  never  be  watered  when  the  sun  is  shining 
on  them.  Early  morning  in  spring,  and  late  afternoon  or 
early  evening  in  summer,  is  the  best  time.  It  is  best  to  water 
with  water  which  has  had  the  chill  taken  from  it  by  standing 
in  the  sun  or  in  the  house.  In  watering  seedlings  and  tiny 
plants,  keep  the  rose  on  your  watering-can;  but  with  big 
plants  it  is  better  to  take  off  the  rose  and  pour  the  water 
gently,  waiting  every  now  and  then  for  it  to  sink  in  round 
their  roots.  If  the  ground  is  very  dry  and  baked,  break  up 
the  surface  of  it  round  the  plants  with  a  rake,  or  push  a  fork 
carefully  into  the  earth.  This  will  help  the  water  to  sink  in. 

Water  very  regularly  during  hot  and  dry  weather.  It  is 
very  hard  on  your  plants  to  give  them  a  splendid  drink  one 
day  and  to  forget  all  about  them  for  a  week. 

Ferns  should  have  a  gentle  spray  bath  every  afternoon  if 
you  want  to  keep  them  fresh  and  green,  and  all  leaves  look 
the  brighter  for  a  shower  from  your  watering-can. 

Perennial  plants,  annuals,  and  rose-trees  will  greatly 
benefit  if  watered  with  slop-water  while  they  are  flowering. 

Wall  Pockets 

If  your  garden  is  very  small,  but  is  against  a  sunny  wall, 
the  growing  room  can  be  increased  by  fixing  a  number  of 


GARDENING  319 

pockets,  made  of  wood  or  of  flower-pots,  against  the  wall. 
These  should  be  filled  with  good  soil,  and  in  them  wallflowers, 
pinks,  bulbs  of  different  kinds,  Wandering  Jew,  and  some 
varieties  of  wild-flowers,  etc.,  can  be  planted. 

Borders 

The  first  thing  to  do  when  a  plot  has  been  given  to  you, 
is  to  mark  it  off  clearly  with  a  border.  There  are  several 
ways  of  doing  this.  Gardens  are  sometimes  bordered  with 
escallop  shells,  which  are  neat  enough  but  seem  rather  out  of 
place  among  flowers.  Tiles  make  another  tidy  artificial  bor- 
der ;  but  the  best  is  made  of  natural  rough  stones  from  six  to 
twelve  inches  long.  These  stones,  which  should  be  sunk  into 
a  groove,  are  soon  covered  with  patches  of  green  moss,  and 
if  between  their  irregular  ends  you  drop  a  few  seeds  of  low 
growing  annuals,  such  as  candytuft ;  or  plant  little  pieces  of 
thyme,  blue  forget-me-not,  or  any  kind  of  rockfoil  or  stone- 
crop,  the  border  will  become  one  of  the  prettiest  things  in  the 
garden.  If  you  prefer  a  growing  boundary,  a  very  nice  stiff 
little  hedge  can  be  made  by  sowing  endive  in  a  line  all  round 
the  garden,  and,  after  allowing  it  to  run  to  seed,  cutting  and 
trimming  it.  But  of  course  there  is  no  natural  border  to  com- 
pare with  box ;  but  to  get  a  good  box  hedge  is  a  tedious 
matter. 

Annuals 

The  seeds  of  all  annuals  can  be  sown  from  March  until 
June  according  to  the  locality.  Any  one  in  the  neighborhood 
who  has  gardened  for  some  years  can  tell  you  when  to  plant 
better  than  any  catalogue.  The  seeds  of  favorite  flowers 
should  be  sown  several  times  at  intervals  of  a  fortnight,  so 
that  you  may  have  a  succession  of  them  through  summer  and 
autumn. 


320  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW ? 

Preparations  for  Sowing 

Before  sowing  any  seeds,  see  that  the  soil  is  nicely  broken 
up,  and  remove  any  stones. 

When  you  have  decided  where  to  sow  the  different  seeds, 
take  away  a  little  earth  from  each  place  and  sow  the  seeds 
very  thinly  —  remembering  that  each  plant  must  be  from  four 
inches  to  twelve  inches  apart ;  cover  lightly  with  the  earth 
you  took  out  and  press  it  down  firmly  with  your  trowel. 
Then  mark  the  place  with  little  pieces  of  white  wood,  on 
which  the  names  of  the  seeds  have  been  written  with  an  in- 
delible pencil.  It  is  much  easier  to  sow  the  tiny  seeds  thinly 
if  you  first  mix  them  with  a  little  sand.  These  must  be  only 
just  covered  by  a  very  fine  sprinkling  of  earth ;  but  sweet-pea 
and  nasturtium  must  be  sown  deeper. 

Thinning  Out  and  Transplanting 

Begin  to  thin  out  the  seedlings  very  soon  after  they  ap- 
pear, and  be  very  careful  not  to  pull  up  too  many.  It  is 
easiest  to  thin  out  when  the  soil  is  wet.  When  the  seedlings 
are  two  inches  high  only  those  which  you  wish  to  keep  should 
be  left  in.  It  is  not  very  easy  to  say  exactly  how  much  room 
to  leave  the  different  plants,  but  plants  which  will  be  siy 
inches  high  should  be  about  three  inches  apart ;  those  which 
will  be  one  foot  high  about  six  inches,  and  so  on.  Godetia, 
nasturtium,  love-in-a-mist,  sweet-pea,  cornflower,  and  larkspur 
seedlings  can  be  transplanted  when  about  two  inches  high,  if 
you  find  you  want  them  where  they  have  not  been  sown.  To 
do  this  water  the  ground  well  first,  and  then  pull  the  seed- 
lings out  so  gently  that  none  of  their  tiny  fibrous  roots  are 
snapped ;  and,  if  possible,  bring  away  a  little  earth  with  each. 
Re-plant  them  as  quickly  as  you  can,  making  for  each  a  little 
hole  big  enough  for  the  roots  to  spread  out  in.  Hold  the 
seedling  in  position,  and  fill  in  with  very  moist  earth ;  or  else, 


GARDENING  321 

after  you  have  made  the  hole,  fill  it  up  with  water,  then  put 
back  some  of  the  earth  and  stir  it  up  into  a  sort  of  paste,  and 
put  the  seedling  in  this,  filling  up  the  hole  with  the  rest  of 
the  earth.  Seedlings  that  have  been  transplanted  must  be 
kept  moist  until  they  have  taken  a  good  start,  and  if  possible 
they  should  be  shaded  with  a  branch  of  evergreen,  for  they 
droop  very  quickly  in  the  heat. 

All  seedlings  must  be  watered  gently  and  often.  If  you 
notice  how  quickly  the  sun  dries  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
you  will  see  how  necessary  it  is  to  keep  the  ground  moist  un- 
til the  roots  get  bigger  and  go  down  deep  into  the  earth. 


Weeds  and  Seedlings 

It  is  most  important  to  know  what  the  baby-plants  will 
look  like  when  they  come  up,  because  one  has  to  weed  hard 
in  the  warm  showery  weather,  and  if  one  is  not  careful,  mig- 
nonette, sweet-peas,  and  poppies  may  go  on  the  rubbish  heap, 
and  chickweed  and  purseley  be  left  on  the  flower-bed ;  which, 
although  it  is  what  the  birds  like,  will,  later,  be  very  dis- 
heartening to  you.  Of  course,  if  your  seeds  are  well  marked, 
there  will  be  less  difficulty,  but  even  then  weeds  will  come  up 
amongst  them.  The  only  safe  way  is  to  get  to  know  the  ap- 
pearance of  all  the  seedlings,  and  to  help  you  to  remember  it 
is  a  good  thing  to  make  little  drawings  of  them  in  your  gar- 
den note-book. 

Autumn  Sowing 

Some  seeds,  such  as  cornflowers,  godetias,  and  poppies, 
can  be  sown  in  the  autumn.  They  will  stand  the  winter  as  a 
rule  and  will  make  finer  plants  and  blossom  earlier  than  if 
sown  in  spring.  They  should  be  sown  thinly  in  open  ground. 

Anv  good  catalogue  will  give  you  a  list  of  annuals  suit- 


322  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

able  for  your  purposes  and  with  a  little  advice  from  an  oldei 
gardener  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  selecting  wisely. 

Biennials 

These  are  best  sown  in  May.  If  the  garden  is  full 
they  may  be  sown  in  an  ordinary  wooden  box  filled  with  sev- 
eral inches  of  good  earth.  Transplant  them  to  their  perma- 
nent places  later  on. 

Remember  that  all  plants  will  flower  for  a  much  longer 
time  if  the  flowers  are  kept  cut  and  any  faded  ones  taken  off. 

Saving  Seed 

The  best  seed  is  saved  from  plants  set  apart  for  that  pur- 
pose ;  for  good  seed  comes  from  the  first  and  finest  flowers  and 
not  from  those  left  over  at  the  end  of  the  flowering  season. 
These  plants  should  be  sown  in  a  little  patch  by  themselves 
should  be  allowed  to  run  to  seed,  and  carefully  tended  until 
the  seed-pods  are  ripe  enough  to  be  gathered.  If,  therefore, 
you  have  not  a  large  garden,  it  is  best  to  buy  most  of  your 
seed  each  year,  using  a  little  of  your  own,  from  which,  how- 
ever, you  must  not  always  expect  the  finest  flowers.  If  you 
have  no  wish  to  keep  any  of  your  flowers  merely  for  seeding 
purposes  but  still  want,  while  getting  flowers  from  them,  also 
to  save  a  few  seeds,  the  thing  to  do  is  to  mark  one  or  two  of 
the  finest  blossoms  with  a  tiny  piece  of  wool  or  silk  (it  is 
better  when  it  is  the  color  of  the  flower)  and  let  it  go  to  seed. 
Take  special  care  of  the  plant,  and  cut  off  all  other  flowers  as 
you  wish  to  gather  them.  Watch  the  seed-pods  when  they 
are  formed,  and  when  they  are  ripe  —  that  is,  brown  and  dry 
—  cut  them  off,  break  them  open,  and  spread  the  seeds  out. 
Look  them  over  very  carefully  to  see  that  there  are  no  maggots 
amongst  them,  and  if  they  are  at  all  damp  leave  them  in  a 
warm  place  until  they  are  dry.  Then  make  them  up  in  little 


GARDENING  323 

packets,  clearly  labeled  with  their  names,  colors,  and  the  date, 
and  put  them  away  in  a  dry  place  until  next  spring.  In  sav- 
ing sunflower  seeds  choose  your  best  sunflower,  and  when  the 
petals  have  fallen  tie  it  up  in  muslin,  or  else  the  birds  will 
steal  a  inarch  on  you.  In  gathering  sweet-pea  pods  one  has 
to  be  rather  clever,  because  when  they  are  quite  ripe  they 
burst  open  and  the  seeds  fly  out  suddenly,  sometimes  just  as 
one  is  going  to  cut  them.  In  one  poppy  pod  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  seeds,  enough  to  stock  a  garden,  and  the  same  is  the 
case  with  the  pretty  pods  of  love-in-a-mist.  Nasturtium  seeds 
should  be  picked  up  when  they  fall  on  the  ground,  and  spread 
out  until  quite  brown  and  dry.  Cornflowers,  which  have 
little  seeds  like  shaving-brushes,  generally  sow  themselves, 
and  marigolds  do  too,  but  they  are  both  easy  to  save.  In 
choosing  a  place  in  which  to  keep  seeds  through  the  winter 
remember  that  damp  is  not  the  only  danger.  Mice  enjoy 
them  thoroughly. 

Perennials 

Perennials  are  plants  which,  although  they  die  down  in 
winter,  come  up  again  and  blossom  every  following  spring 
or  summer.  They  can  be  grown  from  seed,  but,  with  a  few 
exceptions,  this  is  a  long  and  troublesome  part  of  gardening, 
and  it  is  best  to  get  them  from  friends  or  from  a  nurseryman. 

Planting  Perennials 

The  best  months  for  planting  perennials  are  November, 
February,  and  March.  Dig  a  hole  large  enough  to  take  the 
roots  when  well  spread  out,  hold  your  plant  in  position,  with 
the  junction  of  stem  and  root  just  below  the  level  of  the  earth, 
and  fill  in  gently  with  fine  soil,  pressing  it  down  firmly  all 
round  the  plant,  and  if  there  is  danger  of  frost  protect  the 
plants  with  straw,  bracken,  or  a  mulching  of  manure.  Never 
rater  if  there  is  any  likelihood  of  frost. 


324  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Here  follow  some  general  remarks  concerning  the  treat- 
ment of  perennials  through  the  spring,  summer,  and  au- 
tumn :  — 

Slugs 

In  the  spring,  slugs,  which  eat  the  tender  new  leaves  of 
many  plants,  can  be  kept  away  by  sprinkling  coal-ash  around 
them. 

Watering 

In  hot  weather,  water  perennials  regularly  and  well, 
breaking  up  earth  around  them  so  that  the  water  sinks  in 
easily. 

Supports 

All  tall-growing  perennials  will  need  stakes  to  support 
them.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  roots  when 
putting  these  in.  The  stalks  can  be  tied  with  twine. 

Dividing 

Perennials  can  be  divided  if  they  grow  too  large.  With 
summer-flowering  plants  this  should  be  done  in  October  or 
November,  and  with  spring-flowering  plants  in  June.  In 
dividing  you  simply  dig  up  the  plant  and  break  off  as  much 
of  it  as  you  want,  being  careful  not  to  injure  the  roots.  As, 
however,  there  are  many  plants  which,  to  be  divided,  must  be 
cut,  and  as  this  is  an  operation  which  requires  some  skill  and 
knowledge,  it  would  perhaps  be  better  to  take  advice. 

Perennials  From  Seed 

Snapdragon,  wallflower,  pansies,  and  hollyhocks  are  very 
easily  grown  from  seed.  They  can  be  sown  in  June  (wall- 
flowers are  best  sown  in  April)  in  boxes,  and  thinned  out  and 
transplanted  to  permanent  places  as  soon  as  they  are  large 
enough.  They  will  blossom  the  following  year. 


GARDENING  325 

Seedlings 

Seedlings  of  most  perennials  can  be  bought  for  a  few 
cents  a  dozen.  They  should  be  planted  as  quickly  as  possible 
and  watered  well,  and  they  will  flower  the  following  year. 

Consult  a  good  nurseryman's  catalogue  for  a  list  of  hardy 
perennials,  as  for  the  annuals. 

Bulbs  —  General  Remarks 

A  garden  that  is  planted  only  with  bulbs,  or  with  bulbs 
and  a  few  ferns,  can  be  kept  beautiful  all  the  year  round. 
Many  of  our  loveliest  flowers  come  from  bulbs,  and  they  are 
easy  to  grow  and  interesting  to  watch  from  the  moment  that 
the  first  leaf-tips  push  through  the  earth  until  they  die  down. 
The  position  of  all  bulbs  should  be  very  carefully  marked  on 
the  beds  and  in  your  garden-plan,  so  that  you  will  not  cut  or 
injure  them  when  digging  your  garden  over. 

The  first  bulbs  to  come  —  through  the  snow  sometimes  — 
are  the  snowdrops,  single  and  double,  crocuses  —  yellow,  pur- 
ple, lilac,  and  striped  —  and  then  the  tiny  bright  blue  squills  ; 
and  a  little  later  the  yellow  daffodil  and  white  narcissus,  hya- 
cinths, and  tulips  of  every  kind.  Then  white,  red,  and  pur- 
ple anemones,  ranunculi,  and  wax-like  Stars  of  Bethlehem. 
In  June  there  are  wonderful  irises  and  tall  spikes  of  summer- 
flowering  gladiolus  —  red  and  white  —  and  later  still  the  tall 
garden  lilies.  There  are  many  of  these  lilies,  and  all  of  them 
are  exceedingly  beautiful.  Two  kinds  should  be  in  all  gardens 
-  the  white  Madonna  lily,  and  the  orange  tiger  lily.  All  the 
bulbs  that  have  been  mentioned  cost  very  little  and  can  be 
grown  very  simply.  And  all  bulbs  that  have  been  mentioned 
can  remain  untouched  for  many  years  unless  they  exhaust  the 
soil  around  them  (when,  instead  of  increasing  as  they  should 
each  year,  the  plants  become  poorer  and  smaller). 

Never  move  a  bulb  when  it  is  in  active  growth :  after  the 
leaves  have  died  down  is  the  right  time. 


326          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Leaf-mould  mixed  with  your  garden  soil  will  help  to  give 
you  fine  flowers. 

If  the  leaves  of  the  bulbs  are  attacked  by  slugs,  as  they 
often  are,  sprinkle  a  little  wood-ash  all  around  them. 

Planting  Bulbs 

For  planting  bulbs  choose  a  day  when  the  earth  is  dry, 
and  make  your  holes  with  a  trowel.  If  you  want  to  make  a 
clump  of  bulb-plants,  take  away  the  earth  to  the  right  depth 
from  the  whole  area  you  wish  to  fill,  place  your  bulbs  in  posi- 
tion, points  upward,  and  cover  over,  pressing  the  earth  firmly 
down. 

In  planting  a  bulb  in  a  hole  made  for  it  by  a  trowel,  be 
very  careful  to  see  that  it  is  resting  on  earth,  and  is  not 
"  hung,"  that  is  to  say,  kept  from  touching  the  earth  under- 
neath because  of  the  narrowness  of  the  hole. 

All  bulbs  may  be  protected  during  the  winter  by  laying 
hay  or  straw  over  them.  This  must  be  neatly  pegged  down, 
and  removed  in  March. 

Cutting  Leaves 

Never  cut  all  the  leaves  of  plants  growing  from  bulbs,  but 
allow  those  that  are  unpicked  to  die  down  naturally.  If  they 
look  very  untidy,  as  the  leaves  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem 
always  do,  tie  them  up  tightly.  Seeds  of  annuals  can  always 
be  sown  among  bulbs,  and  they  will  hide  dying  leaves  and  fill 
up  the  places  that  are  left  vacant. 

Shades 

"  Shades  "  are  subterranean  gardens :  holes  in  the  ground, 
some  eighteen  inches  deep  and  about  a  foot  square  (or  larger), 
the  sides  of  which  are  covered  with  moss  and  little  ferns.  At 
the  bottom  you  can  sink  a  pot  or  a  tin,  which  must  always 
be  kept  filled  with  water.  It  is  more  interesting  if  a  toad 


GARDENING  327 

or  a  frog  lives  there.  Over  the  hole  stands  a  shade  made  of 
glass  and  wood,  which,  together  with  the  water,  keeps  it  cool 
and  moist. 

Kitchen  Gardens 

If  you  want  to  grow  other  things  besides  flowers,  lettuces, 
radishes,  and  mustard  and  cress  are  interesting  to  raise. 
Strawberries,  too,  are  easy  to  cultivate,  but  they  need  some 
patience,  as  the  first  year's  growth  brings  very  few  berries. 
In  sowing  the  seeds  of  lettuce,  radish,  and  mustard  and  cress, 
follow  directions  given  for  sowing  flower  seeds  on  page  320. 
If  you  want  to  grow  even  the  few  things  mentioned,  which 
need  only  very  simple  culture,  the  soil  of  the  garden  must 
be  good. 

Lettuce 

Sow  a  few  seeds  of  lettuce  very  thinly  in  a  line  once  every 
three  weeks.  When  the  seedlings,  which  should  be  protected 
from  birds  by  netting,  are  three  inches  high,  thin  them  out, 
leaving  one  foot  between  each  plant.  The  seedlings  that  are 
pulled  up  can  be  transplanted  or  eaten.  Transplanted  let- 
tuces should  be  shaded  during  hot  weather  and  given  plenty 
of  water.  During  dry  and  hot  weather  you  may  water  let- 
tuces every  day. 

Radishes 

Sow  a  few  radish  seeds  thinly  once  every  three  weeks, 
and  cover  very  lightly  with  earth.  These  seedlings  also  must 
be  protected  by  netting  from  birds,  and  must  have  plenty  of 
water,  or  the  radishes  will  become  stringy  and  poor.  In 
summer  sow  in  a  shady  place. 

Mustard  and  Cress 

Mustard  and  cress  seed  can  be  sown  at  any  time  and  is 
almost  sure  to  be  successful.  In  very  hot  weather  sow  in  the 


328  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

shade,  or  protect  from  the  sun  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  The 
cress  should  always  be  sown  three  days  before  the  mustard. 
It  is  a  favorite  device  to  sow  one's  name  in  mustard  and  cress. 
For  other  ways  of  treating  it,  see  page  332. 


Strawberries 

Plant  strawberries  carefully  in  August  or  September. 
Dig  a  hole  for  each  plant  and  spread  the  roots  well  out.  Hold 
the  plant  while  filling  in  the  earth,  so  that  that  part  of  it 
where  root  and  stem  join  comes  just  below  the  soil.  Each 
plant  should  be  eighteen  inches  from  its  neighbor.  Cut  off  all 
runners  —  that  is,  the  long  weedy  stems  which  the  plants 
throw  out  in  spring,  and  water  well  if  the  weather  is  dry. 
Protect  the  strawberries  from  birds,  and  watch  very  carefully 
for  slugs,  which  are  greedy  straw  berry -eaters.  When  the 
fruit  begins  to  form,  lay  some  straw  on  the  earth  under  and 
between  the  plants.  This  will  keep  the  berries  clean. 

Town   Gardens 

So  far,  we  have  been  speaking  of  gardens  in  the  country, 
or,  at  any  rate,  not  among  houses.  There  are  many  more 
difficulties  to  contend  with  in  town  gardening  ;  there  is  more 
uncertainty,  and  often  less  reward  for  the  greatest  care,  than 
in  country  gardening ;  but  the  flowers  that  do  grow  seem  so 
sweet  between  dull  walls  and  under  smoky  chimneys,  that  one 
can  forget  how  much  more  luxuriant  they  could  be  in  other 
circumstances. 

Flowers  for  Towns 

The  following  list  of  annuals,  perennials,  and  bulbs  which 
grow  well  in  the  heart  of  towns,  though  it  is  not  complete, 
contains  enough  plants  to  fill  a  garden :  — 


GARDENING  329 

ANNUALS.  PERENNIALS.  BULBS. 

Alyssum.  Jap.  Anemones.  Crocuses. 

Candytuft.  Campanulas.  Daffodils. 

Collinsia.  Delphiniums.  Hyacinths. 

Coreopsis.  Flags.  Madonna  Lilies. 

Mignonette.  Gaillardias.  Squills. 

Nasturtiums.  Pinks.  Spanish  Irises. 

Poppies.  Sunflowers.  Tulips. 

Sunflowers.  Wallflowers.  Winter  Aconite. 

In  addition  to  the  plants  mentioned  above,  hardy  ferns 
grow  well,  and  so  do  lilies  of  the  valley,  and  stonecrops  and 
saxifrages.  Wandering  Jew  will  also  thrive,  and  the  canary 
creeper  grows  as  well  in  town  as  in  the  country. 

In  summer,  geraniums,  fuchsias,  heliotrope  —  which  must 
be  well  watered  —  pansies,  lemon  verbena,  and  scented  gera- 
niums, can  be  planted  out. 

Roses  do  not  do  very  well  in  towns ;  but  hardy  ones  will 
grow  quite  enough  flowers  to  make  the  possession  of  them  a 
great  delight. 

Indoor  Gardening  and  Window  Boxes  —  Precautions 
A  window  full  of  flowers  and  green  plants  makes  all  the 
difference  to  a  room.  There  are  always  certain  difficulties 
about  growing  plants  in  a  room  ;  but  these  may,  however,  be 
partly  overcome.  One  is  the  great  change  of  temperature 
between  day  and  night  in  winter ;  another  is  the  very  evil 
effect  of  gas  on  plants  ;  and  a  third  is  the  presence  of  dust. 
The  difference  of  temperature  is  met  to  a  great  extent  by 
taking  the  flowers  away  from  the  window  at  night  and  putting 
them  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  This  is  specially  necessary 
when  there  is  any  danger  of  frost.  If  gas  is  burned  in  the 
room  where  plants  are  all  da}%  it  is  wise  at  evening  to  take 
the  trouble  to  move  them  into  another  room,  for  nothing 
injures  them  more.  As  to  dust,  ferns  and  plants  which  have 


330  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

smooth  leaves  should  be  gently  sponged  with  warm  watei 
once  a  week,  or  else  the  pores  will  be  so  choked  that  the  plants 
will  not  be  able  to  breathe.  Those  plants  which  cannot  be 
sponged,  such  as  fine-leafed  ferns,  geraniums,  etc.,  should  be 
gently  sprayed  occasionally,  or,  in  warm  weather,  placed  out- 
of-doors  during  a  soft  shower.  When  a  room  is  being  cleaned, 
the  plants  should  either  be  taken  away  or  covered  with  soft 
paper. 

The  window  chosen  for  your  plants  should  be  a  sunny 
one  and  as  draughtless  as  may  be.  It  should  not  be  opened 
unless  the  day  is  very  mild.  One  thing  to  remember  is  that 
wherever  the  plants  are  they  should  have  as  much  sun,  as 
equal  a  temperature,  and  as  little  draught  as  possible. 


Watering 

No  exact  rule  can  be  given  for  watering ;  but  it  should 
be  noted  that  water  ought  never  to  be  allowed  to  stand  in  the 
saucers.  In  winter,  one  good  watering  a  week  with  luke- 
warm water,  applied  in  the  morning,  will  be  sufficient.  In 
spring,  when  the  plant  is  more  active,  more  water  will  be 
needed,  and  in  summer  constant  attention  must  be  given  to 
watering.  Kemember,  that  not  only  the  surface  but  the 
whole  soil  needs  moistening. 


Flower-Pots 

In  spring  time,  if  the  plants  seem  to  have  outgrown  their 
pots,  or  if  they  are  not  thriving  well,  re-pot  them  in  larger 
pots  with  the  best  earth  you  can  get.  Water  well  after  re- 
potting. 

Turn  the  plants  round  every  day,  as  the  sun  always  draws 
them  toward  it. 


GARDENING  331 

Indoor  Plants 

A  list  follows  of  suitable  plants  to  be  grown  indoors. 
Green  plants  are  mentioned  first. 

Aspidistra.  —  Of  all  green  giants  the  aspidistra  is  the 
best  to  grow  indoors.  (This  plant  indeed  is  so  hardy  that  it 
will  stand  not  only  draught  but  even  a  certain  amount  of  gas.) 
Its  smooth,  beautiful  leaves  should  be  carefully  sponged  every 
week. 

India-rubber  Plant.  —  The  india-rubber  plant  is  a  verj 
handsome,  smooth,  bright-leaved  plant.  It  should  not  be 
given  too  much  water. 

Ferns.  —  Several  hardy  ferns  grow  well  in  a  window. 
The  maidenhair  is  very  beautiful  while  it  lasts,  but  it  is  a 
poor  thing  the  second  year  unless  it  can  be  put  into  a  green- 
house and  cared  for. 

Ivy.  —  Small-leaved  variegated  ivy  will  grow  under  al- 
most any  conditions.  Its  leaves  should  be  kept  clean.  If 
grown  up  a  small  trellis  it  is  very  pretty. 

Japanese  Fern  Balls.  —  In  February  and  March  one  can 
buy  Japanese  fern  balls.  The  balls  have  to  be  soaked  for 
two  or  three  hours  in  water  (rainwater  if  possible)  and  then 
drained  and  hung  up  in  a  window  where  there  is  not  too  much 
sun.  They  should  be  watered  three  times  a  week.  Gradually 
the  delicate  ferns  will  grow  and  unfold  until  the  whole  ball  is 
a  mass  of  green.  In  November  they  should  be  put  away  in  a 
cool  dark  place  until  the  following  February,  when  they  can 
be  started  again. 

Miniature  Trees.  —  Fine  little  trees  can  be  grown  from 
chestnuts,  beechnuts,  acorns,  and  hazel-nuts.  Collect  the  nuts 
as  they  fall  and  leave  them  in  a  dark  place,  until  about  two 
weeks  before  Christmas,  when  you  lay  them  in  bowls  full  of 
wet  moss  or  in  pots  filled  with  earth,  and  put  them  in  a  warm 
dark  place  near  hot  pipes,  or  in  a  warm  cupboard.  This 


332          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

warmth  will  start  the  root  growth.  When  the  root  is  two 
inches  long,  fill  a  bowl  with  moss  or  pebbles,  lay  the  nuts  on 
the  top  so  that  they  are  only  half  covered,  with  the  roots  down- 
ward, and  keep  in  a  room  where  they  will  have  plenty  of 
light.  Water  frequently  but  do  not  let  much  water  stand  in 
the  bowl. 

Wheat  or  Canary  Seed.  —  Wheat  or  canary  seed  can  be 
sown  in  any  kind  of  dish,  the  bottom  of  which  is  covered  with 
wet  moss.  Sow  the  seed  thickly  and  then  keep  the  dish  in  a 
dark  cupboard  until  the  seedlings  are  about  two  inches  high. 
Then  place  it  in  a  sunny  window.  The  seed,  which  will  take 
about  three  weeks  to  grow,  makes  a  beautiful  patch  of  clear 
light  green  in  a  room.  Keep  the  moss  wet. 

Mustard  and  Cress  can  be  sown  in  pots  or  on  pieces  of 
wet  flannel. 

Campanulas.  —  Blue  and  white  campanulas  are  grown 
in  almost  every  cottage  window,  and  they  are  very  beautiful 
and  graceful.  They  can  be  grown  in  pots,  but  are  prettiest 
in  baskets  from  which  to  hang  down. 

Fuchsias  and  Geraniums.  —  Both  fuchsias  and  geraniums 
are  gay  and  delightful  plants  for  a  room.  Good  kinds  should  be 
bought  in  early  summer  and  well  watered.  In  winter  the 
plants  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  dark  place,  until  with  the  com- 
ing of  spring  they  begin  to  grow  again.  Both  can  very  easily 
be  increased  by  cuttings.  To  do  this  take  off  a  shoot  of  about 
four  inches  long,  cutting  it  off  just  below  a  joint.  Then  pull 
off  the  leaves  just  above  the  joint  and  put  it  into  some  earth 
in  a  sunny  corner  and  water  it  well.  In  about  a  month  roots 
will  have  formed  and  it  can  then  be  potted. 

Bulbs.  —  Bulbs,  such  as  tulips,  iris,  daffodils,  crocuses, 
scillas,  and  snowdrops,  can  be  grown  in  pots  or  deep  earthen- 
ware saucers  that  have  been  filled  with  cocoanut  fibre.  This 
can  be  bought  at  any  florist's.  A  little  shell,  shingle,  or  sand, 


GARDENING  333 

can  be  mixed  with  the  fibre,  and  a  piece  of  charcoal  should 
be  put  at  the  bottom  of  the  pot  to  keep  it  sweet.  The  bulbs 
need  only  to  be  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  damp  fibre. 
Water  regularly,  as  they  must  never  get  dry.  If  your  pot 
has  no  drainage  hole  it  is  a  good  thing  a  little  while  after 
watering  to  turn  it  gently  on  one  side  so  that  any  water 
which  has  not  been  soaked  up  by  the  fibre  can  run  off. 

Bulbs  can  also  be  grown  indoors  in  earth.  Plant  them 
in  October  just  below  the  soil,  and  keep  them  in  a  cool  dark 
place  until  they  have  made  a  little  growth.  Then  bring  to  a 
sunny  window.  Horsfieldii  narcissus,  poly  an  thus- flowered 
narcissus,  and  yellow  jonquils,  grow  well,  and  so  do  tulips, 
hyacinths,  and  crocuses.  In  a  sunny  window  the  Scarborough 
lily  (  Vallota  purpurea)  can  be  grown.  It  is  a  very  gorgeous 
and  imposing  red  flower  which  blossoms  in  August  and  Sep- 
tember. It  should  be  planted  in  autumn  and  plenty  of  room 
allowed  for  its  roots. 

The  Good-Luck  Lily,  which  is  a  strong  and  beautiful 
polyanthus  narcissus,  can  be  grown  in  bowls  filled  with  peb- 
bles and  water.  Fill  the  bowl  almost  to  the  top  with  clean 
pebbles  (which  can  be  brought  from  the  seashore),  and  among 
them  plant  the  bulbs  and  fill  up  with  water  which  must  be 
added  to  as  it  evaporates.  Among  the  pebbles  put  two  or 
three  pieces  of  charcoal. 

Bulbs  in  Glasses 

Hyacinths  and  daffodils  can  also  be  grown  in  glasses  filled 
with  water,  either  glasses  sold  for  the  purpose,  or  any  kind 
into  the  necks  of  which  the  bulbs  will  fit.  The  bulb  should 
be  placed  in  the  glass  in  October,  and  should  not  quite  touch 
the  water.  Use  good  fresh  water  and  put  a  little  piece  of 
charcoal  in  the  glass.  Change  the  water  once  a  week.  In 
warm  sunny  weather  the  hyacinths  can  be  put  out  of  doors 
for  a  little  while  every  day. 


334  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Window  Boxes 

One  cannot  grow  very  many  things  in  a  window  box,  but 
it  is  most  interesting  to  grow  a  few.  In  a, town  it  is  often  all 
the  garden  that  many  people  possess. 

The  length  of  a  window-box  will  depend  on  the  size  of 
the  window.  Its  depth  should  be  ten  inches  at  least.  At  the 
bottom  of  the  box  some  cinders  or  other  rough  material 
should  be  put,  and  then  it  should  be  filled  up  with  the  best 
earth  you  can  get.  And  because  of  the  difference  it  makes  to 
the  growth  of  your  flowers  it  is  worth  while  to  take  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  in  getting  good,  rich  mould.  The  earth  may 
be  kept  level,  or  heaped  up  at  one  or  both  ends,  and  a  few 
stones  added  to  make  a  tiny  rockery,  in  which  you  can  grow 
small  saxifrages  and  other  rock  plants. 

Flowers  for  Window-Boxes 

Nasturtiums  and  canary  creeper  can  climb  up  a  little 
trellis  made  of  sticks  at  each  end  of  the  box,  or  they  can  cling 
to  strings  fixed  to  the  box  and  nailed  high  up  at  the  side  of 
the  window.  Wandering  Jew  or  ivy-leaved  geranium  will 
fall  over  the  front  of  the  box  and  make  it  look  very  gay. 
Bulbs,  such  as  winter  aconite,  squills,  snowdrops,  a  few 
daffodils,  tulips  and  irises,  will  grow  well  in  boxes.  These 
should  be  planted  rather  deep.  Then  primroses  and  forget- 
me-nots  can  be  planted,  and  in  May  a  border  of  lobelia,  one 
or  two  geraniums,  pansies,  fuchsias,  a  plant  of  lemon  verbena, 
and  some  musk.  Mignonette,  Virginia  stock,  collinsia,  should 
be  sown  in  spring  in  little  patches  or  lines. 

Keep  the  leaves  of  all  the  plants  as  clean  as  possible  by 
gentle  watering  with  a  rose.  Never  let  the  earth  get  dry 
from  neglect,  or  sodden  from  too  much  watering ;  yet  water 
well,  for  driblets  only  affect  the  surface,  and  it  is  the  roots  far 
down  in  the  box  that  need  moisture. 


GARDENING  335 

Cutting  Flowers  and  Packing  Them  —  Flowers  for  Post 
It  is  best,  if  possible,  to  pick  flowers  the  day  before  you 
want  to  send  them  off.  Pick  them  in  the  afternoon,  sort 
them  and  bunch  them  up,  and  then  stand  them  in  water  right 
up  to  their  heads,  and  keep  them  there  over  night.  A  basin 
is  the  best  thing  to  put  the  flowers  in,  unless  the  stalks  are 
very  long,  and  a  jam-pot  or  two  in  the  water  will  help  to  keep 
them  from  tumbling  over  and  drifting  about.  Be  very  careful 
that  the  blooms  do  not  touch  the  water.  Keep  the  flowers  in 
water  until  you  are  ready  to  pack  them.  Tin  boxes  are  best 
to  send  flowers  away  in  ;  but  generally  one  has  to  use  card- 
board ones.  Choose  the  strongest  you  can  find  and  line  it 
with  two  sheets  of  paper,  one  across  and  one  long  ways, and  each 
long  enough  to  fold  over  when  it  is  full.  Then  line  again 
with  some  big  cool  leaves  or  moss.  Dry  the  flowers  and  pack 
them  as  tightly  as  possible,  taking  great  care  not  to  crush  the 
petals.  Cover  them  with  a  few  more  leaves  and  fold  the 
paper  over.  Then  wrap  up  the  box,  remembering  to  write 
the  address  on  a  label  tied  at  one  end  of  the  box,  so  that  the 
postmark  will  not  be  stamped  on  the  box  itself  and  perhaps 
break  it. 

Picking  Flowers 

"When  you  are  picking  flowers  to  send  away,  never  pick 
old  ones.  Buds  are  best  generally,  especially  in  the  case  of 
poppies ;  but  they  should  be  buds  just  on  the  point  of  opening. 
Always  use  scissors  to  cut  flowers  with.  A  very  slight  tug  at 
a  little  plant  in  dry  weather  pulls  its  roots  out  of  the  ground. 
Cut  the  flowers  with  long  stems  and  with  some  of  their  green 
leaves,  and  at  the  top  of  the  box  that  you  are  sending  away 
it  is  pleasant  always  to  put  something  which  smells  very 
sweetly  —  lemon  verbena,  or  mignonette — for  that  first  sweet 
scent  is  one  of  the  very  best  things  about  receiving  a  present 
of  this  kind. 


336  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

The  Reception  of  Flowers 

When  flowers  are  sent  to  you,  each  stem  should  be  cut 
with  a  slanting  cut  before  you  put  it  in  water.  Flowers  with 
very  thick  or  milky  stems  should  be  slit  up  about  half  an  inch, 
and  woody  stems  are  best  peeled  for  an  inch  or  two.  Put  the 
flowers  deep  into  water  that  has  had  the  chill  taken  off  it. 
Always  put  flowers  in  water  as  quickly  as  possible  after  they 
are  picked.  Change  the  water  every  day,  and  recut  the  stems 
if  they  look  at  all  brown  or  dry. 


PETS 


PETS 

IN  no  case  do  the  following  hints  as  to  the  care  and  char- 
acter of  pets  go  so  far  as  they  might.    But  they  lay 
down  broadly  the  most  useful  rules.     In  cases  where  a 
dog  or  bird  is  really  ill,  and  ordinary  remedies  and  treatment 
do  not  help,  the  advice  of  some  one  who  knows  should  be 
asked.     It  is  because  all  children  are  in  touch  with  some  one 
who  knows,  that  this  chapter  is  not  longer.     The  aim  of  the 
writer  of  most  of  the  notes  which  follow  has  been  to  describe 
those  creatures  which  are  most  commonly  kept  as  pets,  with  a 
few  suggestions  as  to  their  care  in  ordinary  health. 

Dogs :  Their  Care  and  Food 

All  dogs  need  plenty  of  exercise ;  indeed  it  is  scarcely 
possible  to  give  them  too  much  when  once  they  are  over  six 
months  of  age.  After  twelve  months  they  can  follow  a 
horse,  but  a  bicycle  as  a  rule  is  too  fast  for  a  dog,  and  the  ex- 
cessive exertion  is  likely  to  make  them  ill.  Plenty  of  fresh 
air  and  freedom  are  necessary,  and  your  dog  should  never  be 
chained  except  at  night,  when  he  should  have  a  snug  bed 
away  from  any  draught.  The  house  is  the  best  place  for  a 
dog  to  sleep,  but  should  he  live  in  a  kennel  it  must  be  a 
roomy  one,  filled  two  or  three  times  a  week  with  clean  straw 
and  raised  from  the  ground  about  six  inches  so  that  it  will 
keep  dry.  Kennels  with  runs  in  front  are  the  best,  as  then 
the  dog  need  never  be  chained.  In  these  there  should  be  a 
wooden  bench  for  him  to  lie  on,  sheltered  by  a  sloping  roof. 
An  earthenware  trough  of  clean  water  he  must  always  have, 
and  most  dogs  will  do  best  if  they  are  fed  twice  a  day :  a  light 

339 


340          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

breakfast  of  biscuit  or  brown  bread  and  a  good  dinner  of 
scraps  or  dog-biscuit  soaked  in  gravy  with  vegetables  and 
plenty  of  rice.  A  rounded  leather  collar  is  best  for  dogs  with 
long  hair,  as  it  does  not  show  so  much  or  spoil  the  coat,  but 
for  smooth-coated  dogs  a  flat  plain  collar  is  best. 

Washing  Dogs 

Dogs  should  not  be  washed  very  often,  nor  will  this  be 
necessary  if  they  are  well  brushed  every  day.  A  stable 
dandy-brush  is  best  for  short-coated  dogs,  and  a  hard  hair- 
brush, or  one  of  those  with  metal  bristles,  which  can  be 
bought  in  most  saddlers'  shops,  for  long-coated  ones. 

Common  yellow  soap  and  soft  thick  towels  should  be 
used  when  your  dog  really  needs  a  bath.  Have  a  pailful  of 
warm  water,  a  pitcher  to  dip  it  up  with,  a  piece  of  mild  yellow 
soap,  and  a  pail  of  cold  water.  Pour  a  little  warm  water  over 
the  dog,  beginning  with  his  back,  shoulders,  and  sides,  and 
finish  with  his  head,  rubbing  the  soap  into  a  lather  all  over 
him  at  the  same  time.  Be  careful  not  to  let  any  water  into 
his  ears,  or  soap  into  his  eyes.  Next  rinse  the  soap  well  out  of 
his  coat  with  the  warm  water,  beginning  with  the  head. 
Then  pour  the  cold  water  all  over  him  and  let  him  shake  him- 
self well.  Kub  him  dry  with  towels  and  give  him  a  run  on 
grass.  Big  dogs  must  be  washed  in  a  yard,  but  you  can  put  a 
little  one  in  the  tub  indoors.  All  dogs  are  better  for  some- 
thing to  eat  after  a  bath.  To  swimmers  a  plunge  in  a  pond 
or  river  is  good  exercise  and  a  tonic ;  but  dogs  should  not  be 
thrown  in. 

Feeding  Puppies 

Puppies  at  first  need  feeding  five  times  a  day.  At  four 
months  old  four  meals  will  do.  At  twelve  months  they  settle 
down  into  grown-up  dogs,  and  the  two  meals  are  sufficient. 


PETS  341 

Do  not  feed  them  later  than  six  o'clock,  and  always  give  them 
a  walk  after  their  last  meal.  A  few  dry  dog-biscuits  when 
they  go  to  bed  will  do  no  harm,  and  a  large  mutton  or  beef 
bone  now  and  then  will  do  them  good,  but  small  bones  are 
very  dangerous,  as  they  splinter  and  may  kill  or  seriously 
injure  the  dog. 

Distemper 

Young  dogs  are  almost  sure  to  have  distemper,  and  if  a 
puppy  about  six  or  eight  months  old  is  depressed  and  quiet, 
and  his  eyes  look  inflamed,  you  should  put  him  away  by  him- 
self at  once,  sew  him  up  in  thick  warm  flannel,  bathe  his  eyes 
with  cold  tea,  and  attend  very  carefully  to  his  diet.  It  will 
be  difficult  to  make  him  eat,  but  you  must  coax  him  and  even 
pour  strong  beef- tea  or  milk  down  his  throat,  for  if  he  does 
not  eat  he  will  have  no  strength  to  fight  the  disease.  Tripe  is 
the  best  food  for  him  if  he  will  take  it,  but  try  everything  to 
tempt  him,  and  give  him  as  much  as  he  will  take.  When  you 
take  your  patient  for  a  walk  (and  he  will  need  exercise)  do 
not  take  him  where  he  may  meet  other  dogs,  for  distemper  is 
very  infectious.  Put  an  extra  coat  over  him,  wrapping  it 
well  round  his  throat  and  chest.  Distemper  is  a  fever,  and 
the  risk  of  chill  is  very  great ;  it  means  inflammation  of  some 
sort  from  which  the  dog  being  weak  is  not  likely  to  recover. 
It  is  always  best  to  call  in  a  veterinary  surgeon  when  a  dog 
shows  symptoms  of  distemper. 

Tricks  for  Dogs 

If  your  dog  is  a  terrier  there  is  no  end  to  the  tricks  you 
can  teach  him.  Always  begin  by  teaching  him  to  "  trust," 
for  it  is  the  foundation  of  his  training,  and  he  will  learn  it 
before  he  is  two  months  old.  Do  not  keep  him  "  on  trust " 
for  more  than  a  second  or  two  at  first,  but  gradually  make 
the  time  longer,  until  he  will  let  you  leave  the  room  and  not 


342          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW <? 

touch  the  biscuit  until  you  return.  Then  you  can  teach  him 
to  die,  and  waltz,  sing,  ask,  box,  and  beg.  Treat  him  always 
with  patience  and  firmness;  be  quick  to  reward  but  never 
give  in  to  him.  You  will,  of  course,  bear  in  mind  the  char- 
acter of  the  dog  in  teaching  him  tricks.  Dogs  of  dignified 
nature,  such  as  St.  Bernards,  mastiffs,  Great  Danes,  and  deer- 
hounds,  for  example,  you  would  not  labor  to  transform  into 
performers.  The  best  dogs  of  all  for  teaching  elaborately 
are  poodles. 

What  is  Due  to  Dogs 

Do  not  overdo  your  mastership.  Remember  that  a  dog 
needs  much  liberty  and  independence  to  develop  his  individu- 
ality, and  an  enterprising  puppy  learns  more  by  observation 
and  experience  in  a  week  than  a  pampered  lap-dog  does  in  his 
whole  life ;  he  learns  self-reliance,  but  he  will  always  run  to 
his  master  or  mistress  in  any  real  difficulty,  and  you  who  are 
his  master  or  mistress  must  be  wary  not  to  misunderstand  or 
disregard  him,  for  he  needs  sympathy  and  love,  and  if  he 
does  not  get  them  he  either  becomes  cowed  and  stupid  or  a 
ne'er-do-weel. 

Buying  Dogs 

If  you  wish  to  buy  a  dog,  the  best  way  is  to  get  the  cata- 
logue of  some  big  dog  show,  and  find  the  address  of  a  well- 
known  breeder  of  the  kind  of  dog  you  wish  to  have.  If  you 
write  to  him  and  tell  him  exactly  what  you  want  he  will 
probably  send  you  a  suitable  puppy  at  a  fair  price.  If  you 
think  of  buying  through  an  advertisement,  have  the  dog  on 
approval  first.  Another  objection  to  buying  a  dog  at  all 
casually  is  that  you  will  not  know  either  his  temper,  which  is 
generally  inherited,  or  his  age.  In  all  cases  it  is  best  to  buy 
puppies  and  train  them  yourself.  This  means  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  at  first,  and  takes  time  and  patience,  but  the  younger 


PETS  343 

the  puppy  the  easier  he  is  to  train.  The  best  age  is  about 
five  weeks  old.  With  constant  attention  day  and  night  for  a 
few  weeks  you  will  have  a  perfectly  trained  dog  who  will  be 
a  perfect  companion  to  you  for  years. 

Brief  descriptions  of  some  of  the  best  known  dogs  are 
here  given,  beginning  with  terriers :  — 

The  Bull-Terrier 

The  bull-terrier  is  very  discriminating  in  his  attachments 
and  does  not  easily  lose  his  temper,  or,  as  a  rule,  fight,  unless 
he  is  unduly  excited.  He  is  such  a  nervous  dog  that  if  he  is 
roughly  treated  he  is  apt  to  become  a  coward,  but  there  is  no 
truer,  more  faithful  friend  than  a  properly  trained  terrier  of 
this  breed. 

The  Fox-Terrier 

The  fox-terrier  is  often  a  restless  fidgety  dog  in  a  house ; 
indeed,  to  keep  him  much  in  the  house  seems  to  affect  his  in- 
telligence. He  fights  readily,  but  a  strong  master  can  alter 
that.  In  sharpness  and  brightness  and  hardiness  he  is  not  to 
be  beaten,  and  no  dog  is  more  inquisitive  and  full  of  spirits. 
Perhaps  of  little  dogs  he  is  the  best. 

The  Irish  Terrier 

The  greatest  fault  of  the  Irish  terrier  is  his  fondness  for 
barking  unnecessarily ;  but  he  is  particularly  intelligent, 
active,  and  vigorous,  and  will  learn  any  trick  your  ingenuity 
can  devise  for  him. 

Other  Terriers 

There  are  many  other  terriers  —  the  Skye,  with  coat 
nearly  sweeping  the  ground ;  the  black  and  tan,  the  Welsh 
terrier,  and  others  less  well  known  ;  but  for  pluck,  brains,  and 
fidelity,  it  is  impossible  to  beat  bull-terriers. 


344          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Spaniels 

Of  all  spaniels  the  Clumber  is  the  most  intelligent  and 
beautiful ;  he  is  also,  although  not  a  very  demonstrative  dog, 
very  sincere  in  his  devotion  to  his  master. 

The  Cocker  is  a  small  spaniel:  an  active,  merry  little 
fellow  who  can  be  taught  to  retrieve.  The  black  spaniel  and 
the  liver-colored  Sussex  are,  like  the  Clumber,  of  the  oldest 
and  best  breeds,  and  the  Sussex  variety  makes  an  excellent 
house  dog.  He  is  quiet  and  dignified  and  has  very  good 
manners.  The  common  Norfolk  spaniel  is  intelligent,  a  good 
water  dog,  and  a  faithful  companion.  A  satisfactory  puppy 
should  not  cost  more  than  five  dollars.  He  and  the  Cocker 
are  the  best  of  the  spaniels  as  pets,  although  these  two  breeds 
are  also  capable  of  good  work  in  the  field  if  carefully  trained. 

The  Retriever 

Retrievers  occasionally  make  good  companions,  but  for 
the  most  part  they  are  dogs  of  one  idea  —  retrieving  —  and 
have  little  interest  in  using  their  intelligence  in  any  other 
direction. 

Setters 

The  setter  is  a  wise  and  affectionate  animal.  He  is  full 
of  spirit  and  needs  careful  training,  but  train  him  well  as  a 
puppy  and  you  will  be  able  to  take  him  everywhere  with 
you,  for  he  is  a  very  gallant  and  courteous  gentleman.  In 
color  the  English  setter  varies  with  the  different  breeds.  The 
Gordon  setter  is  black  and  tan,  and  the  Irish  is  red. 

The  Collie 

The  reputation  for  uncertain  temper  which  collies  have  is 
not  well  grounded.  They  are  excitable,  it  is  true,  and  apt  to 
snap  if  you  romp  too  long  and  wildly  with  them,  and  they  do 
not  take  correction  kindly ;  but  people  who  have  owned 


PETS  345 

many  specimens  of  this  beautiful  breed  testify  to  having 
found  them  always  loving  and  sagacious.  A  collie  should  al- 
ways belong  to  one  person  ;  many  masters  make  him  too 
universal  in  his  affections,  and  under  these  circumstances  he 
does  not  develop  intelligently.  The  collie  at  work  is  the 
wisest  of  dogs,  he  knows  each  individual  sheep  in  his  care, 
and  in  snow  or  mist  will  bring  every  one  to  the  fold  before 
he  rests. 

Collies  may  be  taught  to  play  hide-and-seek  —  a  game 
they  are  very  fond  of.  First  hide  a  ball  in  the  room  and 
help  the  dog  to  find  it,  and  by  degrees  he  will  find  anything 
by  himself  and  will  seek  all  over  the  house  and  garden. 
Among  bad  habits  many  collies  have  the  serious  one  of  run- 
ning round  and  barking  at  horses.  This  should  be  checked  by 
keeping  the  dog  strictly  to  heel  where  he  is  likely  to  meet 
any  traffic. 

The  Sheep  Dog 

The  old  English  bob-tailed  sheep  dog  is  a  bouncing, 
rough-and-ready  fellow.  He  is  not  suitable  for  a  house  dog, 
but  he  is  honest  and  true  and  a  good  worker,  and  one  can  get 
extremely  fond  of  him. 

The  Newfoundland 

The  Newfoundland  is  one  of  the  grandest  of  beasts.  The 
true  Newfoundland  is  black  all  over,  except  for  a  white  star 
on  the  chest,  and  he  stands  at  least  twenty-seven  inches  at  the 
shoulder.  The  black-and-white  specimens  are  called  Landseer 
Newfoundlands,  on  account  of  the  famous  painter's  fondness 
for  them.  In  character  these  dogs  are  dignified  and  magnan- 
imous, and  they  are  particularly  good  with  children.  Many 
stories  are  told  of  their  gallant  efforts  in  saving  life  from 
drowning.  The  Newfoundland  is  used  for  draught  in  the 
island  from  which  he  takes  his  name. 


346          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  * 

The  Mastiff 

The  mastiff  is  the  best  of  all  guards ;  it  is  more  pure  in- 
stinct with  him  to  guard  his  master's  property  than  it  is  with 
any  other  breed.  He  is  honest  through  and  through,  and  as 
a  rule  he  is  gentle  and  a  good  companion. 

The  Bull-Dog 

The  bull-dog  is  stupid  and  not  particularly  affectionate. 
Although  excitable  he  is  not  quarrelsome  or  savage,  and  if 
reasonably  treated  no  doubt  would  make  a  quiet,  faithful  pet. 
A  not  too  highly  bred  bull-dog  is  likely  to  be  more  intelligent 
than  his  very  blue-blooded  relations. 

The  St.  Bernard 

The  most  majestic  of  dogs  is  the  St.  Bernard.  He  is 
high-couraged  and  sagacious  and  very  discriminating  in  his 
devotion.  Once  your  friend,  he  is  always  your  friend.  Al- 
though with  you  he  never  makes  a  mistake,  he  is  apt  to  growl 
at  strangers,  and  is  not  to  be  relied  on  to  be  polite  to  visitors. 
If  you  have  one  of  the  rough-coated  variety  you  must  groom 
him  regularly  and  take  great  care  of  him,  as  he  is  a  delicate 
dog  and  subject  to  weakness  in  the  back  and  hind  legs  if  he  is 
allowed  to  get  wet  or  lie  on  damp  ground. 

The  Great  Dane 

The  Great  Dane,  or  boarhound,  is  a  powerful  and  active 
dog.  His  appearance  is  suggestive  almost  of  a  wild  beast, 
and  he  is  particularly  well  fitted  to  act  as  guard.  He  is  gentle 
and  manageable  with  those  he  knows,  and  his  great  courage, 
intelligence,  and  strength  make  him  a  most  desirable  com- 
panion. 

Hounds 

Of  hounds  that  hunt  by  sight  we  have  the  English  Grey- 
hound, swiftest  of  dogs,  but  neither  very  intelligent  nor  af- 


PETS  347 

fectionate ;  the  Scotch  Deerhound,  dignified  and  very  devoted 
to  his  master,  and  a  wonderful  jumper  over  gates  and  walk- 
ing-sticks ;  and  the  Irish  Wolf-hound,  bigger  and  less  graceful 
than  either  of  the  others,  but  with  a  great  big  heart  and 
noble  courage.  Gelert  was  of  this  breed.  There  is  also  the 
Borzoi,  whose  appearance  is  a  combination  of  greyhound  and 
setter,  a  very  beautiful  but  rather  stupid  animal.  Finally, 
there  is  the  Bloodhound,  remarkable  for  great  intelligence, 
good  temper,  and  fidelity.  He  is  one  of  the  finest  of  dogs, 
wise  and  self-reliant  and  capable  of  the  truest  devotion  to 
his  master.  He  seldom  or  never  fights,  but  is  full  of  courage 
in  spite  of  his  naturally  nervous  disposition. 

Toy  Dogs 

Toy  dogs  are  fairly  intelligent,  but  noisy  and  wayward. 
They  cannot  be  recommended  as  interesting  pets,  since  they 
have  little  originality  ;  but  they  can  be  taught  tricks,  and  if 
treated  sensibly  and  not  pampered,  no  doubt  they  would  de- 
velop more  intelligence.  The  best  of  the  toy  dogs  are  Pugs, 
toy  Pomeranians,  the  King  Charles'  Spaniel  (black  and  tan 
in  color),  and  the  Blenheim  spaniel  (white  and  chestnut). 

The  Pomeranian 

The  Pomeranian  is  a  sharp  and  rather  snappy  dog,  not 
remarkable  for  either  great  intelligence  or  amiability  ;  but,  as 
with  all  breeds,  there  are  individual  exceptions  to  this  rule. 

Poodles 

Poodles  are  intelligent  and  the  best  of  all  dogs  for  learn- 
ing tricks.  They  are  also  very  expensive. 

Mongrels 

Mongrels  can  be  the  best  of  friends.  They  are  often 
more  original  and  enterprising  than  their  too  highly-bred 


348          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

cousins,  and  they  are  very  self-reliant ;  but  as  a  rule  they  are 
not  so  courageous  nor  so  steadfast  as  a  well-bred  dog.  The 
chief  advantage  of  possessing  a  mongrel  is  that  dog-stealers 
are  less  likely  to  be  tempted  by  him,  and  you  can  give  him 
more  freedom,  which  will  make  him  more  interesting  and 
intelligent  than  a  dog  you  need  to  shut  up  and  look  after  care- 
fully. 

Cats 

There  is  very  little  to  say  about  cats,  except  that  they 
need  much  petting  and  plenty  of  milk  and  tit-bits.  They 
should  always  have  a  warm  bed  in  a  basket  or  chair.  They 
should  never  be  allowed  to  stay  out-of-doors  at  night. 

Wild  Rabbits 

Of  all  rabbits  the  brightest  and  most  intelligent,  as  a 
pet,  is  the  wild  rabbit.  If  you  can  get  two  or  three  baby  wild 
rabbits  and  feed  them  on  milk,  they  will  grow  up  very  tame. 
We  heard  recently  of  two  small  wild  rabbits  that  were  taken 
out  of  the  nest  and  brought  up  by  hand.  They  and  their  mis- 
tress and  a  collie  pup  would  play  together,  and  they  ran  about 
the  room,  racing  over  the  floor  and  furniture.  In  the  summer 
one  escaped  from  the  coop  on  the  law"n  in  which  they  were 
shut  up,  so  the  other  was  turned  loose  too.  They  would  both 
come  out  of  the  bushes  when  called,  run  about  over  one's 
dress,  and  hunt  pockets  for  oats  or  bits  of  apple,  and  would 
still  play  with  their  old  friend  the  collie.  It  is  sad  to  tell  of 
their  death,  which  they  met  at  the  jaws  of  a  strange  dog  who 
came  marauding.  They  did  not  recognize  in  him  an  enemy, 
and  easily  fell  his  victims. 

Tame  Rabbits 

The  long-haired  Angora  variety  of  rabbit  is  intelligent 
and  very  handsome.  These  need  regular  grooming  and  great 


PETS  349 

care,  or  their  long  coat  gets  matted  and  frowsy.  Belgian 
hares  are  big,  powerful  animals,  rather  apt  to  be  uncertain  in 
temper,  but  they  have  beautiful  glossy  coats  and  are  enter- 
prising and  amusing.  The  lop-eared  rabbit  is  a  stately  beast 
and  less  brisk  than  his  prick-eared  relations.  The  Himalayan 
rabbit  has  no  connection  with  the  mountain  chain  from  which 
it  has  its  name,  is  white,  with  all  its  extremities  —  nose,  ears, 
tail,  and  feet  —  black  or  very  dark  in  color.  The  Dutch  rab- 
bits are  small.  The  body  is  colored,  but  the  neck,  forelegs, 
and  jaws  are  white.  But  to  the  ordinary  owner  of  a  rabbit 
in  a  hutch,  particular  variety  does  not  matter  very  much. 

Rabbits'  Hutches 

A  good  hutch  can  be  made  of  a  grocer's  box,  by  covering 
the  open  front  partly  with  bars  or  wire  netting  and  making  a 
door.  The  hutch  should  stand  on  legs,  or  at  any  rate  should 
be  raised  from  the  ground,  and  holes  should  be  bored  in  the 
bottom  for  drainage.  Then  put  in  clean  straw,  and  it  is  ready 
for  the  rabbit.  In  cold  or  wet  weather  and  at  night,  it  is  well 
to  throw  a  cloth  over  the  hutch  for  warmth.  The  hutch  must 
be  well  ventilated,  and  it  should  be  made  in  two  compartments, 
one  to  admit  plenty  of  light,  and  the  other  dark.  It  should 
be  made  so  that  the  animal  may  be  confined  in  either  com- 
partment while  the  other  is  cleaned  out. 

Food  and  Exercise 

Bran,  grain,  and  vegetables  —  such  as  peas,  parsley,  car- 
rots, turnip-tops,  but  not  much  cabbage  —  serve  for  rabbits' 
food.  It  is  advisable  to  vary  it  occasionally.  The  leaves 
should  not  be  wet,  but  a  dish  of  clean  water  may  always  stand 
in  the  hutch. 

The  animal  should  be  allowed  at  least  half  an  hour's  run 
day,    precautions  being  taken  against  its  burrowing 


350          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

habits,  and  against  its  finding  anything  poisonous  to  eat 
More  than  one  family  should  not  be  allowed  out  at  the  same 
time,  as  they  are  very  pugnacious.  Most  diseases  are  the  re- 
sult of  neglect  in  cleaning  out  the  hutch  regularly  and  thor- 
oughly. Rabbits  which  most  nearly  approach  the  wild  in 
color  are  hardiest. 

Teaching  Rabbits 

If  you  find  you  have  an  intelligent  rabbit  who  quickly 
learns  to  come  to  you  when  you  call  him  by  name,  you  will 
find,  with  patience,  you  can  teach  him  that  when  you  say 
"  On  trust,"  he  must  not  touch  the  dainty  you  offer  him,  and 
that  "  Paid  for  "  means  he  may  have  it.  He  will  also  learn  to 
"  die,"  and  shake  hands  when  you  tell  him  to  do  so. 

Guinea-Pigs 

Guinea-pigs  need  treatment  and  housing  similar  to  rab- 
bits. 

Squirrels 

In  buying  a  squirrel  make  sure  it  is  a  young  one,  because 
whereas  a  young  one  is  difficult  enough  to  tame,  an  old  one  is 
not  to  be  tamed  at  all.  Unless  you  can  give  him  a  really 
large  cage,  with  room  for  a  branch  on  which  he  may  leap 
about,  it  is  cruel  to  keep  a  squirrel  at  all,  so  beautifully  free 
is  his  nature.  A  little  side  compartment  containing  a  revolv- 
ing wheel  should  be  added.  Your  only  chance  of  taming  him 
is  to  be  extremely  quiet  and  gentle  in  all  your  visits  to  the  cage 
and  in  giving  him  his  food  —  nuts,  acorns,  grain,  cold  boiled 
potatoes,  dry  bread,  and  now  and  then  a  small  piece  of  cooked 
meat.  A  very  charming  account  of  what  it  is  possible  to  do 
with  tame  squirrels  will  be  found  in  a  little  book  called  Billy 
and  Hans,  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Stillman. 


PETS  351 

Mice 

Mice  should  have  a  cage  with  two  compartments,  one  of 
which  should  have  a  door  in  the  woodwork  but  no  wires.  In 
this  room  should  be  a  bed  of  hay.  The  natural  food  of  mice 
is  grain,  but  in  captivity  they  are  generally  fed  on  bread  and 
milk  and  slices  of  apple.  They  can  be  tamed  to  a  small  ex- 
tent, but  for  the  most  part  they  do  no  more  than  run  round  a 
wheel,  although  if  other  gymnastic  contrivances  are  offered 
them  they  will  probably  do  something  with  them.  Dormice 
(to  whose  food  you  may  add  nuts)  sleep  through  the  winter 
months,  and  are  therefore  not  very  interesting  for  more  than 
half  the  year. 

Turtles 

A  turtle  is  rather  an  interesting  animal  to  keep,  al- 
though he  will  not  do  much  in  return.  Even  in  summer  they 
have  a  curious  way  of  disappearing  for  weeks  together,  and 
in  winter,  of  course,  you  see  nothing  of  them.  An  ordinary 
mud  turtle  is  often  seen  moving  slowly  along  the  roads  after 
a  rain.  He  can  be  carried  home  by  turning  him  over  on  his 
back  —  but  be  careful  to  keep  your  fingers  away  from  his 
snapping  mouth.  As  a  rule  they  can  feed  themselves,  and 
they  also  have  the  happy  knack  of  doing  without  food  alto- 
gether for  long  periods,  so  that  you  need  not  be  anxious. 

Fish 

Bowls  of  goldfish  are  not  uncommon,  but  few  people 
seem  to  care  for  fish  of  other  kinds.  And  yet  a  little  aqua- 
rium can  be  stocked  for  a  small  sum  and  is  a  most  interest- 
ing possession.  One  small  tank  of  young  bream,  for  example, 
can  be  a  perpetual  and  continually  fresh  delight.  Let  the 
tank  have  cloisters  of  rockwork  and  jungles  of  weed,  so  that 
hiding  may  be  possible,  and  then  watch  the  smaller  fish 
at  their  frolics.  Young  trout  are  hardly  less  beautiful,  and 


352  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW* 

very  easy  to  keep  healthy,  in  spite  of  general  opinion  to  the 
contrary.  The  important  thing  is  to  maintain  a  current  of 
water  through  the  tank.  The  old  way  was  to  carry  the  over- 
flow down  a  pipe  in  the  centre  through  its  surface  opening, 
but  an  improvement  on  this  system  is  for  the  leakage  to  be  at 
the  bottom  of  the  tank  and  the  inflow  at  the  top.  Young 
perch  are  beautiful  too,  —  and  tench,  and  dace,  and  roach,— 
and  all  are  hardy.  Feeding  them  is  very  simple.  The  shop 
from  which  you  buy  the  fish  will  keep  you  supplied  with  the 
proper  food.  The  American  catfish,  with  its  curious  antenna3 
or  whiskers,  and  its  gleaming  eyes,  set  as  by  a  jeweler,  is  more 
wonderful,  and  not  a  whit  more  difficult  to  keep.  But  to  be 
amused  by  such  unfamiliar  neighbors  as  a  tankful  of  fish  there 
is  no  real  need  either  to  stray  abroad  or  to  spend  any  money. 
The  ordinary  minnow,  which  you  can  catch  in  any  stream  and 
pop  into  a  jar,  will  serve  to  introduce  you  to  a  new  world  — 
a  world  of  silent  progressions,  of  incredible  celerities,  of 
amazing  respirations. 

Silkworms 

Silkworms,  if  kept  at  all,  ought  to  be  taken  seriously  and 
used  for  their  true  purpose.  That  is  to  say,  you  really  ought 
to  wind  their  silk  carefully.  Few  owners  of  silkworms  in 
this  country  seem  to  trouble  to  do  this.  Silkworms'  eggs  can 
be  bought  of  any  naturalist,  or  some  one  who  keeps  silkworms 
will  willingly  give  you  some.  The  time  is  about  the  end  of 
April.  They  are  usually  laid  on  scraps  of  paper,  and  these 
you  put  in  shallow  paper  and  cardboard  trays  covered  with 
gauze,  and  place  them  in  the  room  where  the  sun  can  reach 
them.  As  the  worms  hatch  out  you  must  move  them  —  it  is 
done  best  with  a  small  paint  brush  —  to  another  tray  or  trays 
and  keep  them  supplied  with  fresh  mulberry  leaves  or  lettuce. 
The  worms  continue  to  grow  for  about  a  month,  and  then, 


PETS  353 

when  full-sized,  they  prepare  to  spin.  You  may  know  that 
this  time  is  reached  by  their  refusal  to  eat,  and  you  must  then 
make  a  little  paper  toilet,  about  two  inches  deep,  for  each 
worm,  and  drop  it  in.  You  have  now  nothing  to  do  (except 
to  watch  the  worms  regularly)  for  some  weeks,  in  which  time 
the  cocoon  has  been  finished  and  the  worm  has  become  a 
chrysalis.  When  the  chrysalis  inside  the  cocoon  rattles  the 
time  has  come  to  wind  the  silk,  or  the  moth  will  shortly 
emerge  and  eat  it.  The  outside  of  the  cocoon  is  useless  and 
can  be  removed  by  placing  the  cocoon  in  warm  water.  Once 
that  is  out  of  the  way,  the  silk  can  be  wound  on  a  card. 
The  moth  soon  afterward  appears  and,  after  growing  to  its 
full  size,  lays  its  eggs  —  some  two  hundred  —  and  dies.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  with  silkworms  a  little  practical 
demonstration  from  any  one  who  has  kept  them  is  worth 
much  more  than  many  pages  of  hints.  One  thing  is  of  the 
highest  importance,  and  that  is  constant  attention.  Silk- 
worms must  never  be  neglected. 

Other  Caterpillars 

Silkworms  are  more  useful  but  not  more  interesting  than 
many  other  caterpillars  which  can  be  hatched  from  eggs.  The 
Privet  Hawk  Moth,  for  example,  is  very  easily  bred,  and  a 
very  beautiful  creature  it  is  when  in  full  plumage.  But  for 
information  on  this  subject  you  must  go  to  more  scientific 
books. 

Pigeons 

Pigeons  are  not  exactly  pets,  for  they  rarely  do  more  than 
come  to  you  for  their  food,  just  as  chickens  do,  but  they  are 
beautiful  creatures  and  no  country  roof  is  quite  complete  with- 
out them,  and  a  dove-cot  is  a  very  pretty  and  homely  old- 
fashioned  object.  Usually,  however,  the  birds  are  given  a 
portion  of  a  loft.  Whatever  the  nature  of  their  home,  it 


354  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

must  have  separate  compartments  for  each  pair  of  pigeons  and 
must  be  warm.  If  a  loft  is  used  there  should  be  sand  or  gravel 
on  the  floor,  with  a  little  lime  to  assist  the  formation  of  the 
shells  of  the  pigeons'  eggs.  The  place  should  be  kept  clean, 
and  you  must  guard  against  rats  and  cats.  Pigeons  eat  peas 
and  pigeons'-beans  and  most  kinds  of  grain.  If  they  fly  loose 
they  will  find  out  other  food,  such  as  green  meat,  for  them- 
selves. But  if  you  keep  them  at  home  you  ought  to  give  them 
some.  They  should  have  a  dish  of  water  in  a  regular  place. 
New  pigeons  should  be  shut  up  by  wiring  in  their  house  for  a 
fortnight  before  you  give  them  their  liberty,  or  they  will  fly 
away.  They  do  not  care  for  hay  or  straw  in  their  boxes,  but 
will  make  a  nest  in  their  own  way  when  they  need  one. 
Pigeons  are  of  many  kinds,  the  commonest  of  which  is  per- 
haps the  Runt,  and  the  prettiest  a  white  Fan  tail.  Any  one 
who  takes  up  pigeons  except  merely  for  the  pleasure  of  own- 
ing one  or  two  should  read  up  the  subject  carefully. 

Doves 

Doves,  which  are  happier  when  kept  in  pairs,  require  the 
same  food  as  pigeons.  As  a  rule  they  are  kept  in  wicker 
cages.  They  are  not  very  interesting. 

Parrots 

Parrots  are  most  companionable  pets,  and,  next  to  a  dog, 
quite  the  most  interesting  and  intelligent.  They  are  always 
cheerful :  whistling,  singing,  and  talking.  The  gray  parrot  is 
the  best  talker,  and  speaks  much  more  distinctly  than  any 
other  kind,  but  the  Blue-fronted  Amazon  is  more  amusing  and 
far  better-tempered  as  a  rule.  These  birds  are  very  beautiful, 
with  bright  green  plumage  and  touches  of  yellow  and  red, 
and  a  blue  patch  on  the  forehead.  The  best  food  for  parrots 
is  parrot  seed,  on  which  they  may  be  fed  entirely,  and  they 
should  never  be  allowed  dainties  except  nuts,  fruit,  and  a  little 


PETS  355 

piece  of  sugar.  In  the  summer  time  sprinkle  your  parrot  with 
water  through  a  fine  hose  every  morning,  but  in  the  winter 
do  so  only  when  he  asks  for  a  bath  by  trying  to  get  into  the 
water  basin.  As  to  talking,  parrots  will  pick  up  far  more 
readily  any  words  they  hear  by  accident  than  any  that  you 
set  yourself  to  teach  them.  They  will  also  get  by  heart  in 
this  way  a  few  bars  of  a  whistled  tune.  When  parrots  are 
apparently  spiteful  it  often  proceeds  much  more  from  nervous- 
ness than  from  vice.  If  frightened  they  will  peck  anything 
near  them.  It  is  important  to  have  a  thick  baize  cover  for 
your  parrot's  cage,  and  to  put  this  over  it  directly  the  lamps 
are  lit. 

Smaller  Cage  Birds 

Before  coming  to  the  different  kinds  of  birds  which  you 
can  keep,  a  few  general  words  about  their  care  ought  to  be 
said.  Remember  that  with  them,  as  with  all  pets,  the  most 
important  of  all  rules  is  perfect  cleanliness.  The  best  cages 
are  wooden  ones  with  unpainted  wires,  and  the  perches  should 
be  of  different  thicknesses,  as,  if  they  are  all  one  size,  the  bird 
is  likely  to  get  cramp  in  his  feet.  Once  in  a  week  at  least  the 
perches  and  tray  should  be  scrubbed  with  very  hot  water  with 
soda  in  it,  but  they  must  be  dried  thoroughly  before  they  are 
put  back  into  the  cage ;  therefore  if  possible  it  is  best  to  have 
two  sets  of  perches  and  to  use  them  alternately.  A  thick 
layer  of  red  sand  or  shell  gravel  should  be  sprinkled  on  the 
tray,  and  occasionally  a  pinch  of  maw-seed  thrown  on  it. 

Baths 

All  birds  should  have  a  bath  given  them.  They  like  best 
a  shallow  glass  dish,  which  should  be  put  in  the  cage  when 
the  tray  is  out.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  put  a  biscuit-tin  lid  on 
the  floor  of  the  cage  to  prevent  the  bird  from  making  the 
woodwork  wet.  Other  rules  in  the  care  of  all  birds  are  — • 


356          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

never  let  them  be  in  a  draught,  but  do  not  keep  them  in  a 
very  warm  place.  Cover  them  with  a  white  cloth  at  night, 
and  in  cold  weather  put  a  shawl  over  that. 


Food 

Seed-eating  birds  do  best  if  they  are  fed  on  canary  seed 
and  a  little  summer  rape,  with  now  and  then  a  few  hemp- 
seeds,  some  Hartz  mountain  bread,  and  a  bit  of  groundsel  or 
water-cress  that  has  been  well  washed.  If  they  look  dull  and 
sit  in  a  puffed-up  little  heap,  a  drop  of  brandy  in  their  water 
often  does  good ;  and,  should  they  show  signs  of  asthma,  try 
chopped,  hard-boiled  egg,  with  a  few  grains  of  cayenne 
pepper,  and  a  bit  of  saffron  or  a  rusty  nail  in  the  water. 
These  are  also  good  when  the  bird  is  moulting.  For  insect- 
eating  birds  you  must  buy  meal-worms  and  ants5  eggs,  and 
thrushes  and  blackbirds  need  earth-worms  as  well. 

Tricks 

Some  birds  are  easily  taught  tricks.  We  remember  a  red- 
poll who  would  draw  his  water  up  from  a  well  in  the  cage  in 
a  little  bucket ;  but  if  you  teach  your  bird  to  do  this  you  must 
be  careful  to  watch  him,  in  case  the  string  gets  twisted  and 
the  bucket  does  not  reach  the  water,  when  your  pet  will  suffer 
terribly  from  thirst.  He  will  also  learn  to  pull  his  seed-box 
up  an  inclined  board  if  you  put  it  day  by  day  a  little  farther 
from  him,  so  that  he  must  draw  the  string  to  get  his  food. 
It  is  better  to  take  a  long  time  in  training  birds,  and  tempt 
them  with  any  dainty  they  care  most  for,  such  as  water-cress, 
groundsel,  chickweed,  or  hemp-seed,  as  otherwise  you  must 
starve  the  bird  first,  or  he  will  not  trouble  to  get  the  seed. 
This  means  a  certain  amount  of  cruelty  and  cannot  be 
right. 


PETS  357 

Canaries 

The  favorite  cage-bird  is  the  canary,  which,  though  a 
foreign  bird,  is  kept  in  this  country  in  greater  numbers  than 
any  other  bird,  and  is  also  bred  here.  One  has  to  be  very 
well  posted  up  in  the  nature  of  the  bird  to  be  protected 
against  deception  when  buying  it ;  and  you  ought  therefore, 
in  getting  a  canary,  to  find  some  one  competent  to  buy  what 
you  want. 

Canaries  must  be  kept  carefully.  They  cannot  stand 
much  air.  Be  particular  that  the  cage  does  not  hang  in  a 
draught,  and  let  it  be  large  enough  for  comfort.  When  even- 
ing comes  it  is  kinder  to  take  the  cage  out  of  a  room  in  which 
there  will  be  much  light  and  noise,  and  put  it  somewhere  dark 
and  quiet,  as  the  air  of  a  room  where  gas  is  burned  is  not 
good  for  it.  But  if  moving  the  cage  is  not  convenient,  lower 
it  to  a  position  below  the  level  of  the  burners  and  cover  it  up 
with  a  thick  cloth.  By  day  the  cage  should  be  hung  in  the 
sunshine  if  possible,  but  if  the  sun  is  very  hot  a  green  gauze 
cover  ought  to  protect  the  bird  a  little.  If  the  bird's  singing 
is  too  lusty  —  as  sometimes  happens  —  a  handkerchief  thrown 
over  the  cage  will  check  it ;  but  this  seems  rather  hard  treat- 
ment. 

In  feeding  canaries  follow  the  rules  on  p.  356,  but  you 
may  put  a  lump  of  sugar  between  the  bars  now  and  then,  or 
a  sprig  of  groundsel  or  water-cress.  Do  not  give  them  cake ; 
it  is  no  real  kindness. 

When  they  are  moulting,  canaries  (and  other  birds  too) 
need  rather  more  attention.  Give  them  a  little  richer  food, 
such  as  chopped-up  eggs,  and  put  some  saffron  in  the  water. 
There  is  a  kind  of  insect  called  the  red  mite  which  often 
attacks  canaries.  It  is  not  the  rule  by  any  means  that  canaries 
should  be  thus  troubled  —  many  escape  —  but  it  may  happen. 
If  you  cannot  account  for  the  bird's  despondency  in  any  other 


358  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

way,  catch  it  and  look  at  its  skin  under  the  feathers  of  the 
breast  and  the  under  part  of  the  wings.  If  there  are  little  red 
spots,  it  means  that  the  red  mites  have  found  out  the  cage, 
and  you  must  wash  the  bird  every  day  with  a  weak  solution 
of  white  precipitate  powder  —  about  twelve  grains  to  a  small 
glass  of  warm  water  —  and  either  wash  the  cage  too  with  a 
stronger  solution,  or,  if  it  is  a  wooden  one,  destroy  it.  Now 
and  then  you  ought  to  clip  their  claws,  if  they  seem  too  long. 

The  Love-Birds 

The  love-birds  feed  almost  entirely  on  millet  or  canary 
seed,  and  they  like  a  sod  of  grass  in  their  cage.  They  are 
bright  little  birds,  but  are  naturally  very  wild  and  need  much 
petting  if  you  wish  to  tame  them.  Once  tamed,  however, 
they  are  very  confiding  and  amusing. 

The  Cardinal 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  cage-birds  is  the  red-crested 
cardinal.  He  is  quite  hardy  and  eats  seeds  and  insects  im- 
partially, thriving  on  canary,  millet,  and  a  little  hemp-seed, 
with  meal-worms  now  and  then.  He  should  always  have  a 
very  large  cage,  or  he  will  spoil  his  plumage.  His  song  is 
sweet  and  strong. 

Wax-Bills 

"Wax-bills  eat  millet-seed,  canary  seed,  and  a  little  soaked 
bread  and  sponge-cake. 

Other  Foreign  Birds 

Java  sparrows  are  pretty  creatures,  although  they  do  very 
little  for  you.  Perhaps  the  most  attractive  of  small  foreign 
birds  is  the  avadavat,  a  tiny,  perky  little  soldier.  These  live 
quite  comfortably  together;  and  indeed,  if  it  is  permitted, 
you  should  certainly,  for  the  non-singing  birds,  have  a  large 


PETS  359 

cage  and  keep  many  such  birds  in  it  rather  than  put  them  in 
small  cages.     They  will  be  far  happier. 

The  Chaffinch 

The  chaffinch  has  to  re-learn  his  song  every  spring,  and 
for  a  fortnight  or  more  you  will  hear  him  trying  his  voice 
very  sweetly  and  softly,  but  as  soon  as  he  has  acquired  his 
song  in  perfection,  it  will  be  so  strong  and  piercing  that  on 
fine  days  he  often  has  to  be  banished  from  the  sitting-room. 
He  should  not,  however,  be  exposed  too  much  to  sun  and 
wind ;  a  cloth  thrown  over  half  the  cage  will  make  a  shelter. 
The  chaffinch  is  another  bird  that  should  never  be  put  in  a 
bell-shaped  cage.  He  should  occasionally  have  flies  and  other 
insects  given  him.  He  is  lively  and  hardy  and  a  very  gay 
companion. 

The  Goldfinch 

We  remember  a  goldfinch  that  became  very  tame,  perch- 
ing on  his  owner's  hands  and  taking  seed  from  her  lips. 
Goldfinches  should  never  be  kept  in  bell-shaped  cages  — 
which  make  them  giddy  —  but  should  have  one  with  a  square 
flat  top.  Along  this  they  will  run  head  downward.  They 
are  such  active  birds  that  they  need  plenty  of  space.  They 
chatter  all  day  long  and  are  very  cheery,  and  they  are  very 
beautiful  in  their  brown,  gold,  and  scarlet  coats.  In  a  wild 
state  the  goldfinch  feeds  chiefly  on  the  seeds  of  weeds  and 
thistles,  groundsel,  and  dandelion,  and  he  is  therefore  a  friend 
to  the  farmer,  but  in  captivity  he  will  thrive  on  canary  and 
German  rape  with  several  hemp-seeds  daily,  and  now  and 
then  lettuce,  thistle-seed,  and  fruit. 

The  Bullfinch 

The  bullfinch  is  squarely  built,  with  a  black  head  and 
pink  breast.  No  bird  can  be  more  affectionate  and  intelligent, 


360  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

He  will  learn  to  pipe  tunes  if  you  put  him  in  the  dark  and 
whistle  a  few  bars  of  some  easy  melody  to  him  over  and  over 
again ;  and  he  soon  gets  a  number  of  fascinating  tricks. 
After  a  while  you  will  be  able  to  let  him  out  of  the  cage  at 
meal-times,  when  he  will  hop  about  from  plate  to  plate  and 
steal  little  tit-bits.  No  bird  is  so  fond  of  sitting  on  its 
owner's  shoulder  as  the  bullfinch  can  be.  Also,  unhappily, 
few  birds  are  so  liable  to  fatal  illness.  A  bullfinch  can  be 
apparently  quite  well  one  minute  and  the  next  you  find  him 
lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  cage.  Over-eating  is  often  the 
cause  of  his  death,  so  that  one  must  be  careful.  Hemp-seed 
and  apple-pips,  for  instance,  which  he  loves,  should  be  given 
in  moderation.  Rape  and  millet,  lettuce  and  ripe  fruit  suit 
him  best.  Gardeners  are  great  enemies  of  this  sturdy  little 
bird  on  account  of  the  damage  he  does  amongst  fruit-trees, 
but  he  probably  does  a  great  deal  more  good  than  he  does 
harm  by  eating  insects  which  are  fatal  to  plants. 

The  Yellow  Bunting 

The  yellow  bunting  (or  yellow  hammer)  can  be  a  pet ; 
and  he  has  the  sweetest  little  whispering  song.  If  you  have 
a  caged  bunting,  his  seed  should  be  soaked  in  cold  water  for 
some  hours  before  it  is  given  to  him,  and  he  must  have  the 
yoke  of  a  hard-boiled  egg,  meal-worms,  ants'  eggs,  and  any 
insects  you  can  catch  for  him.  He  must  also  have  plenty  of 
opportunities  for  bathing,  and  as  much  fresh  air  without 
draughts  as  possible. 

The  Blackbird 

The  blackbird  is  delicate  when  caged  and  must  have 
plenty  of  nutritious  food,  bread  and  milk,  boiled  vegetables, 
ripe  fruit,  insects,  and  snails.  He  is  a  thirsty  bird  and  needs 
plenty  of  water. 


PETS  361 

Birds  of  all  kinds  especially  like  cocoanut  (though  they 
will  come  to  the  window-sill  simply  for  bread  crumbs).  The 
cocoanut  should  be  sawn  in  two,  and  a  hole  bored  through 
each  half,  about  an  inch  from  the  edge.  A  strong  string  is 
then  threaded  in  and  they  are  hung  from  the  bough  of  a  tree. 
They  should  be  hung  rather  high  up,  on  a  bough  reaching  as 
far  out  from  the  trunk  as  possible,  so  as  to  avoid  all  risk  from 
the  cat.  The  birds  frequent  elm-trees  more  than  any  others, 
because  the  rough  bark  contains  many  insects,  but  you  may 
choose  any  kind  of  tree,  as  close  to  your  windows  as  you  like. 
The  birds  will  keep  pecking  at  the  cocoanut  all  day  long  and 
will  soon  want  a  new  one.  If  you  have  no  tree  near  the 
house  you  might  fasten  a  cord  across  the  outer  frame  of  your 
window  and  tie  the  pieces  of  nut  to  that.  The  birds  would 
soon  find  out  the  cocoa-nut  and  come  to  it,  and  bread  crumbs 
could  also  be  put  on  the  window-sill  to  attract  them.  Or,  if 
you  have  a  veranda,  they  could  be  hung  up  there,  if  you 
could  make  them  safe  from  the  cat.  Mrs.  Earle,  in  her  book 
More  Pot-Pourri  from  a  Surrey  Garden,  gives  elaborate 
directions  for  an  arrangement  in  a  veranda  or  balcony  of 
cocoanuts,  etc.,  for  the  birds.  Lumps  of  fat  will  do  as  well 
as  cocoanut.  Some  birds  also  greatly  love  a  bone  to  pick  at 
—  an  uncooked  one  with  plenty  of  fat  on  it,  which  the  butcher 
will  probably  be  glad  to  give  you  if  you  ask  him  and  explain 
its  purpose.  It  can  be  hung  up  in  a  tree  or  merely  laid  on 
the  window-sill. 

The  Robin 

In  the  ordinary  way  one  would  not  keep  robins  at  all. 
They  are  so  tame  and  fond  of  the  company  of  human  beings 
that  they  will  come  regularly  to  the  door  for  crumbs  every 
morning  and  never  be  far  off  at  any  time.  But  if  a  wounded 
robin  is  found  or  a  nest  is  abandoned  (probably  owing  to  the 


362  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

death  of  the  mother  at  the  cat's  hands)  just  before  the  young 
birds  are  ready  to  fly,  you  might  pop  them  in  a  cage.  They 
do  not  often  thrive  long  in  captivity,  even  if  the  confinement 
does  not  seem  irksome,  but  to  keep  one  until  it  was  strong 
enough  to  be  let  loose  would  be  a  kindness.  Still  there  have 
been  many  cases  of  happy  tame  robins.  The  best  food  for 
them  is  bread  crumbs,  grated  carrot,  yoke  of  egg  and  sponge- 
cake mixed  together,  the  carrot  making  the  mixture  moist 
enough.  A  few  insects  daily  are  advisable.  Robins  are  such 
quarrelsome  birds  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  two  of  them  in 
an  aviary,  or  even  to  keep  one  robin  with  birds  weaker  than 
himself.  Perhaps  the  best  way  to  treat  a  pet  robin  is  to  let 
him  fly  all  over  the  house  in  the  winter.  He  may  one  day  fly 
away  altogether  in  the  spring,  but  if  he  is  alive  he  is  almost 
certain  to  come  back  again  when  the  cold  weather  begins. 

Garden  Robins 

Robins  in  the  garden  are  so  pretty,  so  cheeky,  so  sweetly 
musical,  and  are  so  friendly  to  man  (in  spite  of  their  arrogance 
and  selfishness  among  birds)  that  they  ought  to  be  encouraged. 
As  the  only  way  of  encouraging  wild  birds  is  to  feed  them, 
we  have  to  try  and  give  them  what  they  like  best.  Robins 
are  quite  content  with  bread  crumbs  only.  They  will  eat  sop 
if  they  can  get  nothing  else  ;  but  they  prefer  crumbs,  and  not 
too  dry.  For  an  especial  treat  they  like  fat  bacon  beyond 
everything :  cooked  bacon,  that  has  been  boiled,  not  fried. 
It  should  be  mixed  up  very  small,  and  the  bread  also  crumbled 
into  tiny  morsels,  for  robins  like  to  eat  very  nicely  and 
daintily.  Robins  are  pleased  to  have  crumbs  given  them  all 
the  seasons  through,  though  in  the  autumn  they  can  very  well 
take  care  of  themselves. 

Each  robin  has  his  own  special  domain,  which  any  other 
robin  invades  at  his  peril.  The  robins  that  come  to  the 


PETS  363 

window  for  food  are  those  that  belong  to  that  particular 
side  of  the  house  and  no  other.  This  means  that  there 
are  other  robins  in  different  parts  of  the  garden  which 
will  have  to  be  fed  in  their  own  special  localities.  You 
will  soon  find  out  where  these  are,  even  if  you  have 
not  already  been  guided  to  them  by  their  songs.  Kobins 
like  their  food  scattered  always  in  the  same  place,  or 
under  the  same  tree,  and,  as  nearly  as  you  can,  at  the 
same  time.  Then  you  will  find  them  on  the  lookout  for 
you,  and  if  you  take  always  the  same  basket  (a  rather  shallow 
flat  one  which  stands  firmly)  and,  putting  it  on  the  ground, 
go  a  few  steps  away,  you  will  see  them  hop  into  it.  After  a 
few  days  they  will  probably  get  tame  enough  to  come  into 
the  basket  while  it  is  in  your  hand ;  only  you  must  have  a 
little  patience  at  first,  and  hold  it  very  still,  and  of  course 
you  must  not  have  previously  scattered  any  food  on  the 
ground. 

Birds  in  the  Garden 

This  brings  us  to  the  other  garden  birds  which  we  have 
no  wish  to  put  in  cages,  but  which  it  is  well  to  be  as  kind  to 
as  possible.  In  winter,  when  there  is  a  frost,  to  feed  them  is 
absolutely  necessary ;  but  at  all  times  it  is  well  that  they 
should  know  that  you  are  not  enemies  (of  which  they  have  so 
many),  but  their  friends.  The  following  notes,  together  with 
the  foregoing  passage  on  feeding  robins,  on  birds  in  the  gar- 
den have  been  prepared  for  this  book : — 

"Birds  are  grateful  all  the  year  through  for  a  shallow 
pan  of  water,  which  they  can  drink  from  and  use  also  as  a 
bath.  And  the  bees,  too,  will  be  glad  to  come  and  get  a  sip 
of  water,  for  they  also  are  thirsty  things.  A  small  round 
yellow  earthenware  pan  is  excellent  for  the  thrushes  and 
blackbirds,  but  it  is  as  well  to  provide  a  smaller  one,  say  an 


364  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  <? 

ordinary  shallow  pie-dish,  for  the  robins  and  little  birds. 
These  should  be  refilled  twice  a  day,  at  least,  in  summer  time. 
You  can  place  the  pans  on  the  grass  or  path,  where  you  can 
see  them  comfortably  from  the  house,  but  not  nearer  than 
you  can  help,  because  the  blackbirds  are  rather  shy,  and  it 
would  be  a  pity  to  make  drinking  too  great  an  adventure  for 
them. 

"Birds  are  thankful  for  a  little  feeding  right  through  the 
spring,  both  when  the  mother  bird  is  sitting  on  the  nest  and 
the  father  has  to  forage  for  two,  and  when  the  young  ones 
are  hatched  and  there  are  at  once  many  more  mouths  to  fill. 
In  the  summer  too,  if  it  should  be  unduly  wet  and  cold,  or 
unduly  hot  and  dry,  and  grubs  and  insects  scarce,  the  young 
birds  are  pleased  to  find  a  meal  ready  for  them.  But  in  the 
winter  it  is  a  positive  duty  to  feed  the  birds ;  for  remember 
that  when  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  or  frozen  hard, 
they  can  get  no  insects,  and  thus,  after  all  the  berries  have 
gone,  they  will  starve  unless  they  are  helped  with  other  food. 

"  Almost  every  household  has  enough  waste  scraps,  if 
they  are  collected  carefully,  to  give  the  birds  a  good  meal 
once  a  day.  Bread,  of  course,  will  form  the  chief  part,  but 
nothing  comes  amiss  to  them,  however  tiny.  Morsels  of  suet, 
dripping,  shreds  of  fat,  meat,  and  fish,  and  cheese  rind  also, 
all  mixed  up  together,  are  an  especial  treat.  The  mince 
should  be  well  mixed  with  the  bread  crumbs,  or  all  may  not 
get  a  fair  share.  Crusts,  or  any  hard,  dry  bits  of  bread,  can 
be  scalded  into  sop  (though,  unlike  chickens,  wild  birds  do 
not  seem  to  like  it  hot),  and  a  little  piece  of  dripping  or  fat, 
soaked  with  the  sop,  makes  it  more  tasty  for  them.  If  the 
supply  of  bread  be  short,  the  birds  will  be  very  pleased  with 
chickens'  rice.  It  should  be  the  'second  quality '  kind,  in  the 
brown  husk,  which  can  be  procured  from  most  corn-dealers. 
But  this  is  hardly  necessary  excepting  in  a  long  hard  frost. 


PETS  365 

Starlings  are  especially  fond  of  bones,  and  they  will  esteem  it 
a  favor  if  any  which  have  been  used  in  making  soup,  and  are 
not  required  for  the  dog,  are  thrown  out  to  them  on  the 
ground.  Their  joyous  chattering  over  them  is  quite  cheer- 
ing, even  on  the  dreariest  winter's  day.  They  are  also  grate- 
ful for  the  rind  of  a  ham  or  piece  of  bacon,  after  it  has  been 
boiled.  This  should  be  thrown  out  to  them  whole,  not  cut  up 
in  little  pieces.  They  are  equally  fond  of  the  bones  and  skin 
remains  of  a  '  dried '  haddock. 

"  For  the  bolder  birds,  such  as  robins,  you  will  like  to 
put  some  food  on  the  window-sills,  and  also  on  the  path  or 
grass  close  to  the  house.  But  remember  the  more  timid  ones, 
and  scatter  it  in  other  parts  of  the  garden  as  well. 

"  Sparrows,  of  course,  deserve  their  food  as  well  as  any  of 
the  others;  but  it  is  rather  hard  to  see  them  taking  every 
morning  much  more  than  their  share,  while  the  less  coura- 
geous or  impudent  birds  (who  also  sing  to  you)  get  none.  It 
seems  impossible  to  prevent  this,  though  Mr.  Phil.  Robinson, 
in  his  book  Garden^  Orchard,  and  Spinney  (in  the  chapter 
entitled  '  The  Famine  in  my  Garden ' ),  recommends  scatter- 
ing some  oatmeal  mixed  with  a  few  bread  crumbs  on  one  side 
of  the  house,  to  keep  the  sparrows  occupied,  whilst  you  feed 
tbe  other  birds  elsewhere.  Sparrows,  however,  have  a  way 
of  being  on  every  side  of  the  house  at  once.  Still,  if  you  feed 
your  birds  daily,  and  as  nearly  at  the  same  time  as  possible 
(they  like  it  as  soon  as  may  be  after  your  own  breakfast),  you 
will  find  them  on  the  lookout  for  you,  and  they  will  manage 
to  get  a  good  share,  if  they  all  start  fair,  in  spite  of  the  spar- 
rows. In  a  hard  frost  they  are  thankful  for  a  second  meal, 
but  it  should  not  be  later  than  two  o'clock,  because  birds  go 
to  bed  very  early  in  cold  weather,  and  the  food  would  be 
frozen  too  hard  for  them  to  be  able  to  eat  it  next  morning. 

"  One  word  more.     There  is  great  danger  of  birds  being 


366  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

caught  by  a  cat  while  they  are  busy  with  their  food,  especially 
if  near  the  bushes.  The  only  possible  protection  against  this 
which  you  can  take  is  to  see  that  your  own  cat  is  indoors  and 
is  therefore  not  the  offender." 


READING 


READING 

ALL  persons  who  care  very  much  for  reading  will  find 
their  way  naturally  to  the  books  most  likely  to  please 
them ;  left  alone  in  a  library  they  are  never  disap- 
pointed. For  them  no  advice  is  necessary.  Nor  is  advice  im- 
portant to  those  who  have  opportunities  to  compare  notes  on 
reading  with  friends  who  have  similar  tastes.  For  instance, 
two  boys  may  fall  to  talking  of  books.  "Have  you  read 
David  Balfour  f  "  one  will  say.  "  No ;  who 's  it  by  ? " 
"  Stevenson."  "  What  else  did  he  write  ?  "  "  Well,  he  wrote 
Treasure  Island"  "  I  've  read  that.  If  David  Balfour  is 
anything  like  that,  I  must  get  it."  He  gets  it ;  and  thus, 
either  by  asking  others  whose  taste  he  can  trust,  or  by  going 
steadily  on  through  each  author  who  satisfies  him,  -he  will 
always  have  as  much  good  reading  as  he  needs. 

But  there  are  still  other  readers  —  who  have  no  real  in- 
stinct for  books,  or  no  memory  for  authors'  names,  or  few 
opportunities  of  comparing  notes  —  for  whom  a  list  of  books 
that  are  worth  trying,  books  which  have  been  tested  and 
found  all  right  by  thousands  of  readers,  ought  to  be  very  use- 
ful. In  the  following  pages  a  list  of  this  kind  has  been  drawn 
up.  It  is  very  far  indeed  from  anything  like  completeness  — 
many  good  authors  are  not  mentioned  at  all,  and  others  have 
written  many  more  books  than  are  here  placed  under  their 
names  —  but  those  chosen  are  in  most  cases  their  best,  and  it  will 
be  very  easy  for  readers  who  want  more  to  find  out  other  titles. 
The  books  named  are  for  the  most  part  not  new.  But  before 
children  read  new  books  they  read  old ;  the  new  ones 
come  later.  What  is  suggested  here  is  a  ground-work. 
Moreover,  there  are  so  many  ways  for  new  books  to  suggest 

569 


370  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

themselves  that  to  attempt  the  impossible  task  of  keeping 
pace  with  tjem  here  was  unnecessary. 

Girls  are  such  steady  readers  of  what  are  called  boys' 
books,  and  boys  are  occasionally  so  much  interested  in  what 
are  called  girls'  books,  that  the  two  groups  have  not  been 
separated.  All  that  has  been  done  is  to  describe  the  nature 
of  each  division  of  stories. 

Fairy  Tales 

Nearly  all  the  best  old  fairy  tales  are  to  be  found  in  Mr. 
Andrew  Lang's  collections,  of  which  six  are  mentioned  :  — 

The  Blue  Fairy  Book  The  Green  Fairy  Book. 

The  Red  Fairy  Book.  The  Yellow  Fairy  Book. 

The  Pink  Fairy  Book.  The  Orange  Fairy  Book. 

Many  families  do  very  well  with  merely 

Grimm's  Fairy  Tales.  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales. 

The  Arabian  Nights.  JEsop'a  Fables. 

These  are  traditional.     First  favorites  among  English  whim- 
sical tales  are,  of  course, 

Alice's  Adventures  in  Wonderland    .        .        By  Lewis  Carroll. 
Through  the  Looking-glass        .        .        .          "       "  " 

of  which  there  is  no  need  to  speak,  nor  of 

The  Water-Babies      ....  By  Charles  Kingsley. 

The  King  of  the  Golden  River  .  "  John  Ruskin. 

The  Rose  and  the  Ring      .        .        .  "  W.  M.  Thackeray. 

And  among  other  good  stories  are  — 

Fairy  Tales By  Alexandra  Dumas. 

Mopsa  the  Fairy "  Jean  Ingelow. 

Prince  Prigio "  Andrew  Lang. 

The  Gold  of  Fairnilee        ....  "        " 

Twenty  Best  Fairy  Tales  ....  "  Lucy  Perkins. 

The  Bee-Man  of  Orn "  Frank  R.  Stockton. 

The  Clocks  of  Rondaine     .        .        .        .  "      " 

Old-Fashioned  Fairy  Tales        .  "  Mrs.  Ewing. 


READING  371 

Lewis  Carroll's  "  Bruno's  Kevenge,"  the  story  which  was 
the  beginning  of  Sylvie  and  Bruno,  is  perfect  in  its  way. 

Legendary  Tales 

CLASSICAL 

The  Heroes By  Charles  Kingsley. 

A  Wonder  Book      ....  "  Nathaniel  Hawthorne. 

Tangle  wood  Tales ....  "          "  " 

The  Story  of  the  Odyssey       .        .  "  Rev.  A.  J.  Church. 

The  Story  of  the  Iliad  "      "  " 

Stories  from  Homer  "      "  " 

ROMANTIC 

The  Morte  D'  Arthur     ...  By  Sir  T.  Malory. 

Tales  from  Shakespeare  .        .        .  "  Charles  and  Mary  Lamb, 

Puck  of  Pook's  Hill       .        .        .  u  Rudyard  Kipling. 

Stories  from  the  Faerie  Queen         .  "  Mary  Macleod. 

Heroes  of  Chivalry  and  Romance    .  "  Rev.  A.  J.  Church. 

Stories  of  the  Magicians          .        .  "        4<  " 

Olaf  the  Glorious    ....  "  Robert  Leighton. 

Robin  Hood "  Howard  Pyle. 

Men  of  Iron "        " 

Canterbury  Tales   .        .        .        .  "  Chaucer. 

Robin  Hood :  His  Deeds  and  Adventures,  "  Lucy  Perkins. 

Ballads  in  Prose     ....  "  Mary  Macleod. 

Forgotten  Tales  of  Long  Ago          .  "  E.  V.  Lucas. 

Old  Fashioned  Tales       ...  "      "          " 

Tales  from  Maria  Edgeworth.  Intro- 
duction    "  Austin  Dobson. 

Tales  from  the  Canterbury  Pilgrims. 

Retold "  J.  H.  Darton. 

The  Book  of  King  Arthur       .        .  "  Mary  Macleod. 

Midsummer  Night's  Dream  for  Young 

People "  Lucy  Perkins. 

The  Wonder  Book  of  Old  Romance. 

Here  also  we  might  place  Gulliver's  Travels. 

Verse  and  Poetry 

Our  first  acquaintance  with  poetry  is  made  through  nurs~ 
ery  rhymes.    Many  collections  of  nursery  rhymes  may  be 


372  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

had.  And  there  are  also  a  number  of  very  charming  picture 
books  of  simple  verse,  suitable  for  small  readers,  such  as  Miss 
Kate  Greena way's 

Mother  Goose.  Under  the  Window. 

Marigold  Garden.  A.  Apple  Pie. 

Mr.  Walter  Crane's 

Baby's  Opera,  Baby's  Bouquet, 

and  various  toy  books. 

Four  favorite  books  of  comic  verse  are  Edward  Lear's 

Book  of  Nonsense.  More  Nonsense. 

Nonsense,  Songs  and  Stones. 

Four  books,  more  recent,  which  come  nearer  to  poetry  than 
anything  already  mentioned,  are  — 

Verses  for  Children         ...  By  Mrs.  Ewing. 

Sing  Song "  Christina  G.  Rossetti. 

Lilliput  Lyrics       .        .        .        .          "  W.  B.  Rands. 
A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses    .        .          "  R.  L.  Stevenson. 

A  large  collection  of  verse  of  the  kind  already  described,  with 
the  addition  of  ballads,  open-air  rhymes,  animal  verses  and 
other  matter  —  intended  to  pave  the  way  to  real  poetry  — 
exists  in 

A  Book  of  Verses  for  Children. 
Another  Book  of  Verses  for  Children, 

compiled  by  E.  Y.  Lucas.  After  these,  we  come  to  collections 
containing  real  poetry,  two  excellent  ones  being 

The  Blue  Poetry  Book   ....        By  Andrew  Lang. 
A  First  [Second  and  Third]  Poetry  Book,        "  M.  A.  Woods. 

There  is  also 

Lyra  Heroica By  W.  E.  Henley, 

a  collection  for  boys.  Selections  from  Tennyson,  Browning, 
and  other  poets,  intended  for  children,  have  been  made,  but 
most  young  explorers  of  poetry  like  to  have  the  complete 


READING  373 

works  and  hunt  for  themselves.  Other  popular  books  of 
poetry  are  — 

The  Golden  Treasury  of  Songs  and  Lyrics. 
Poems  Every  Child  Should  know. 

Mr.  C.  R.  D.  Patmore's  Children's  Garland  from  the  Best  Poeta. 
Miss  Agnes  Repplier's  Book  of  Famous  Verse. 
H.  E.  Scudder's  American  Poems. 

The  "  Original  Poems,"  and  Others  .       By  Jane  and  Ann  Taylor. 
National  Rhymes  for  the  Nursery      .        "  George  Saintsbury. 
The  Ballad  Book        .        .        .        .        "  W.  Allingham. 
Lays  of  Ancient  Rome       .        .        .         "  Lord  Macaulay. 
Lays  of  the  Scottish  Cavaliers    .        .        *'  W.  E.  Aytoun. 
The  Percy  Reliques.  A  Thousand  and  One  Gems  of  Poetry. 

Scott.  Longfellow.  Hood. 

Many  boys  also  like  the  humorous  stories  in  Barham's 
Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Books  About  Children 

To  this  section,  which  is  suited  more  particularly  for 
girls,  belong  a  large  number  of  stories  of  a  very  popular  kind : 
stories  describing  the  ordinary  life  of  children  of  to-day,  with 
such  adventures  as  any  of  us  can  have  near  home.  Years  ago 
the  favorites  were  — 

The  Fairchild  Family     .  .By  Mrs.  Sherwood. 

Sandlord  and  Merton      .         .        .         .          •'  Thomas  Day. 

But  these  are  not  read  as  they  used  to  be,  partly  because  taste 
has  changed,  and  partly  because  so  many  other  books  can  now 
be  procured.  But  fifty  and  more  years  ago  they  were  in 
every  nursery  library. 

The  Swiss  Family  Robinson, 

the  most  famous  family  book  of  all,  will  be  found  in  the  ad« 
venture  section,  to  which  perhaps  really  belong 

Feats  on  the  Fiord,  The  Settlers  at  Home, 

by  Harriet  Martineau,  although  these  two,  and 

The  Crofton  Boys 


374          WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

may  be  included  here.     Here  also  belong  Maria  Edgeworth's 

Moral  Tales  for  Young  People,  The  Parent's  Assistant, 

which,  although  their  flavor  is  old-fashioned,  are  yet  as  inter- 
esting as  ever  they  were. 

Another  writer  whose  popularity  is  no  longer  what  it  was 
is  Jacob  Abbott,  the  author  of  a  number  of  fascinating  stories 
of  home  life  (on  farms  and  in  the  country)  in  America  in  the 
middle  of  last  century.  The  Franconia  stories  are  these :  - 

Beechnut.  Mary  Erekine. 

Wallace.  Mary  Bell. 

Madeline.  Stuyvesant. 

Caroline.  Agnes. 

And  this  is  the  Kollo  series,  intended  by  Mr.  Abbott  for  rathei 
younger  readers :  — 

The  Little  Scholar  Learning  to  Talk.  Rollo  at  Work. 

Rollo  Learning  to  Read.  Rollo  at  School. 

Rollo  at  Play.  Rollo's  Vacation. 

A  list  of  other  books,  which  come  more  or  less  rightly 
under  the  head  of  "Stories  about  Children"  follows,  the 
earlier  ones  being  better  suited  to  younger  readers,  and  the 
later  ones  to  older,  the  age  aimed  at  in  this  chapter  (and 
indeed  in  the  whole  book),  ranging  from  five  to  fifteen. 

By  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin :  — 

Polly  Oliver's  Problem.  Timothy's  Quest. 

By  Louisa  M.  Alcott :  — 

Little  Women.  Little  Men. 

Good  Wives.  Jo's  Boys. 

Eight  Cousins.  An  Old-Fashioned  Girl. 

Rose  in  Bloom.  Aunt  Jo's  Scrap  Bag. 

Spinning- Wheel  Stories.  Comic  Tragedies. 

The  Little  Pepper  Series,  and  the  Elsie  Books. 


READING 


375 


By  Mrs.  Frances  Hodgson  Burnett :  — 


Little  Lord  Fauntleroy. 
Editha's  Burglar. 

By  Mrs.  Whitney  :  — 

We  Girls. 

Faith  Gartney's  Girlhood. 

By  Gelett  Burgess  :  - 

Goops,  and  How  to  be  Them. 

More  Goops,  and  How  Not  to  be  Them. 


The  Captain's  Youngest. 
Sara  Crew. 


The  Gayworthys. 
Leslie  Goldthwaite. 


Goop  Tales. 

The  Lively  City  o'Ligg. 


The  Burgess  Nonsense  Book. 

This  section  is  necessarily  more  incomplete  than  any  of 
the  others,  since  it  is  impossible  to  keep  pace  with  the  great 
number  of  stories  of  this  kind  which  are  published  every 
Christmas.  But  a  few  more  may  be  added  :  — 


Stories  Told  to  a  Child    . 

The  Lost  Child        .... 

Helen's  Babies       .... 

The  Treasure-Seekers     . 

Holiday  House        .... 

Deeds  of  Daring  done  by  Girls 

Children  of  Other  Days 

Paleface  and  Redskin 

The  Silver  Skates    .... 

Molly  and  Oily       . 

Sweetheart  Travelers 

Sir  Toady  Crusoe    .... 

Sir  Toady  Lion        .... 

No  Relations  .... 

Jogging  'Round  the  World 

A  Little  Daughter  of  the  Revolution 

A  Little  Colonial  Dame   . 

The  House  of  the  Red  Fox 

The  Would-be  Witch 

Little  Barefoot         .... 

Indian  Boys  and  Girls     . 

Japanese  Child  Life 

Little  Japs  at  Home         .        .        . 

Jap  Boys  and  Girls          .        .        . 


By  Jean  Ingelow. 
"    Henry  Kingsley. 
"  John  Habberton. 
"  E.  Nesbit. 
"  Catherine  Sinclair. 

"  N.  Hudson  Moore. 

«          <(  « 

"  F.  Anstey. 

"  M.  M.  Dodge. 

"  Mrs.  Humphry  Ward. 

"  S.  R.  Crockett. 


Hector  Malot. 
Edith  Dunham. 


"  Miriam  Byrne. 

«          n          « 

From  the  German  of  Auerbaoh, 
.     By  Alice  Haines. 


376  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

According  to  Grandma    ....     By  Alice  Hainea. 
When  Grandma  was  Little       .        .        .       "       " 
What  Grandma  Says        ....""" 

Here  also  belong  many  of  the  stories  of  Miss  Yonge,  and  we 
might  perhaps  place  Uncle  Tom1 8  Cabin  here  too. 

Boy  and  Schoolboy  Stories 

In  this  section  are  placed  stories  of  modern  boys,  either 
at  home  or  at  school,  and  their  ordinary  home  or  school  ad^ 
ventures.  Among  the  best  are  — 

Tom  Sawyer        .        .     By  Mark  Twain. 

and 

Bevis  ...     By  Richard  Jefferies. 

Others  are  — 

The  Story  of  a  Bad  Boy By  T.  B.  Aldrich. 

My  Boyhood "  H.  C.  Barkley. 

The  Swan  and  her  Crew "  G.  C.  Davies. 

Captain  Chap "  Frank  R.  Stockton. 

The  Tinkham  Brothers' Tidemill  .        .        .        .      "  J.  T.  Trowbridge. 

The  best  school  story  will  probably  always  be 

Tom  Brown's  School  Days        .        .     By  T.  Hughes. 

Among  the  books  of  this  kind  meant  rather  for  grown 
up  readers,  but  read  also  by  boys,  are  - 

Huckleberry  Fin               .        .        .By  Mark  Twain. 
Frank  Fairlegh         .        .        .        .     "  F.  E.  Smedley. 
The  Interpreter        .        .        .        .     "  Whyte  Melville. 
The  Human  Boy      .        .        .        .     *'  Eden  Phillpots. 
ViceVersA "P.  Anstey. 

Adventure  Stories 

This  is  the  largest  group  of  books  usually  described  as 
"  for  boys,"  although  girls  often  read  them  too  with  hardl} 
less  interest.  The  first  place  in  this  class  will  probably  al- 
ways be  held  by  Defoe's 

Robinson  Crusoe, 


READING  377 

and  it  is  likely  that  most  votes  for  second  place  would  go  to 
The  Swiss  Family  Robinson. 

After  these  we  come  to  modern  authors  whose  books  have 
been  written  especially  for  boys,  first  among  whom  is  the  late 
Mr.  E.  M.  Ballantyne,  the  author  of,  among  numerous  other 
books, 

The  Coral  Island.  The  Iron  Horse. 

The  Gorilla  Hunters.  Fighting  the  Flames. 

The  Dog  Crusoe.  Erling  the  Bold. 

The  Pirate  City.  Martin  Rattler. 

Ungava.  The  Fur  Traders. 

The  Wild  Man  of  the  West.  The  Red  Man's  Revenge. 

Many  of  Ballantyne's  readers  make  a  point  of  going  through 
the  whole  series  of  his  books.  The  other  titles  can  be  col- 
lected from  the  advertisement  pages  at  the  end  of  these 
volumes.  With  K.  M.  Ballantyne  is  usually  associated  the 
name  of  the  late  W.  H.  G.  Kingston  ("  Kingston  and  Ballan- 
tyne the  brave,"  Stevenson  called  them  in  the  verses  at  the 
beginning  of  Treasure  Island,  another  book  which  comes 
high  in  this  section).  Kingston's  stories  were  also  very  num- 
erous, but  it  will  serve  our  purpose  here  to  mention  only  the 
following  six :  — 

Peter  the  Whaler.  The  Three  Commanders. 

The  Three  Midshipmen.  The  Three  Admirals. 

The  Three  Lieutenants.  From  Powder-Monkey  to  Admiral. 

Several  authors  have  carried  on  Ballantyne  and  Kingston's 
work.  Chief  among  these  are  Mr.  G.  A.  Henty  and  Mr. 
G.  Manville  Fenn.  Here  are  six  of  Mr.  G.  A.  Henty's 
stories :  — 

Out  on  the  Pampas.  In  the  Heart  of  the  Rockies. 

The  Young  Colonists.  Maori  and  Settler. 

The  Young  Franc-Tireurs.  Redskin  and  Cowboy. 


378  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

And  here  are  eight  of  Mr.  G.  JVIanville  Fenn's :  — 

Brownsmith's  Boy.  The  Golden  Magnet. 

Bunyip  Land.  Fix  Bay'nets. 

Bevon  Boys.  Jungle  and  Stream. 

Dick  o-  the  Fens.  Meuhardoc. 

Mr.  Max  Pemberton,  author  of 

The  Iron  Pirate.  The  Impregnable  City. 

"Q."  (Mr.  Quiller  Couch),  author  of 

Dead  Man's  Rook.  The  Silver  Spur, 

and  Mr.  David  Kerr,  author  of 

The  Boy  Slave  in  Bokhara  Cossack  and  Czar. 

Lost  Among  the  White  Africans.  Old  Tartar  Deserts. 

The  Wild  Horseman  of  the  Pampas  Prisoner  among  Pirates. 

Jules  Yerne  is  a  French  writer,  but  his  stories  have  al- 
ways quickly  been  translated  into  English,  many  of  them  by 
Mr.  Henry  Frith.  Their  titles  are  a  good  guide  to  their  subject, 
for  Jules  Yerne  goes  to  science  for  some  wonderful  invention, 
such  as  a  submarine  boat  or  a  flying  machine,  and  then  sur- 
rounds it  with  extraordinary  adventures.  Among  his  best 
books  are  — 

Twenty  Thousand  Leagues  under  The  Clipper  of  the  Clouds. 

the  Sea.  From  the  Earth  to  the  Moon. 

Round  the  World  in  Eighty  Days.  The  Mysterious  Island. 

Five  Weeks  in  a  Balloon.  A  Journey  to  the  Centre  of  the 
The  English  at  the  North  Pole.  Earth. 

First  of  English  inventors  of  fantastic  stories  of  adven- 
ture is  Mr.  Eider  Haggard.  His  three  most  popular  books 
are  — 

King  Solomon's  Mines.  She.  Allan  Quatermain. 

The  books  already  named,  with  the  exception  of  Robin- 
son Crusoe,  were  written  especially  for  boys.  Other  books 
which  were  not  so  intended,  but  have  come  to  be  read  more 


READING  379 

by  boys  than  any  one  else,  include  Fenimore  Cooper's  Indian 
stories,  of  which  these  are  four :  — 

The  Last  of  the  Mohicans.  The  Deerslayer. 

The  Pathfinder.  The  Bee  Hunters. 

Other  Indian  stories  are  those  of  Gustave  Aimard,  translated 
from  the  French,  among  which  are  these :  — 

The  Last  of  the  Incas.  The  Gold-Seekers. 

The  Trail  Hunter.  The  Red  River  Half-Speed. 

The  Indian  Scout.  The  Border  Rifles. 

The  Trappers  of  Arkansas. 

These  are,  of  course,  North  American  tales.  Other  North 
American  tales  are  those  of  Captain  Mayne  Keid,  which  in- 
clude — 

The  Boy  Hunters.  The  Desert  Home. 

The  Boy  Slaves.  The  Forest  Exiles. 

Bruin,  or  The  Grand  Bear  Hunter.  The  Giraffe  Hunters. 

The  Bush  Boys.  The  Headless  Horseman. 

The  Castaways.  The  Rifle  Rangers. 

The  White  Chief.  The  Scalp  Hunters. 

In  this  section  belong  the  books  of  Mr.  George  Bird  Grinnell, 
author  of 

Jack  in  the  Rockies  Jack  Among  the  Indians. 

Jack,  the  Young  Ranchman.         Jack,  the  Young  Canoeman. 
Jack,  the  Young  Trapper. 

Also  Harold  Bindloss' 

The  Young  Traders. 

And  to  this  section  belong  also  stories  of  the  sea,  several  of 
which  have  already  been  mentioned.  High  among  these  are 
Captain  Marryat's 

Poor  Jack,  Masterman  Ready, 

together  with  many  of  his  tales  intended  originally  for  older 
readers,  such  as 

Jacob  Faithful.  Peter  Simple. 

Mr.  Midshipman  Easy.  Snarleyyow, 


380  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

Mr.  Clark  Russell's  stories  :  — 

The  Wreck  of  the  "Grosvenor."  An  Ocean  Free-Lance. 

The  Golden  Hope.  The  Frozen  Pirate. 

Here  also  belong  Mr.  Kipling's 

Captains  Courageous, 

and  an  old  sea  favorite  — 

Two  Years  Before  the  Mast        .        .        .        By  R.  H.  Dana. 

Other  good  sea  books,  not  fiction :  — 

My  First  Voyage By  W.  Stones. 

The  Voyage  of  the  "  Sunbeam  "        .        .  "   Lady  Brassey. 

The  Cruise  of  the  "  Cachalot »  .        .        .  "   F.  T.  Bullen. 

The  Cruise  of  the  "  Falcon  "      .        .        .  "  E.  F.  Knight. 

Historical  Stories  for  Boys 

New  historical  stories  are  published  in  great  numbers 
every  year.  The  most  popular  author  of  this  kind  of  book 
for  boys  is  Mr.  G.  A.  Henty,  among  whose  very  numerous 
historical  tales,  all  good,  are  — 

At  Aboukir  and  Acre.  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark. 

At'Aginoourt.  Maori  and  Settler. 

Bonnie  Prince  Charlie.  St.  Bartholomew's  Eve. 

By  Right  of  Conquest.  Under  Drake's  Flag. 

The  Dash  for  Khartoum.  With  Clive  in  India. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terror.  With  Frederick  the  Great 

With  Moore  at  Corunna.  With  Lee  in  Virginia. 

By  Kev.  A.  J.  Church  — 

The  Chantry  Priest  of  Barnet.  Stories  from  English  History. 

The  Count  of  the  Saxon  Shore.  With  the  King  at  Oxford. 

Other  good  historical  tales  :  — 

Stories  from  Froissart        ...  By  Henry  Newbolt. 

The  Scottish  Chiefs    ....  "  Jane  Porter. 

The  Children  of  the  New  Forest       .  "   Captain  Marryat. 

A  Monk  of  Fife        ....  "    Andrew  Lang. 

Grettir  the  Outlaw    ....  "   Baring  Gonld. 


READING  381 


The  Story  of  Burnt  Njal   ...  By  Sir  George  Dasettt. 
Lorna  Doone     .        .        .        .        .         u  R.  D.  Blackmore. 

In  Old  Egypt "   H.  P.  Mendes. 

An  Island  Story        .        .        .        .  "   H.  E.  Marshall. 

Scotland's  Story        .        .        .        .  "      "  " 

By  K.  L.  Stevenson  — 

The  Black  Arrow.  Kidnapped.  David  Balfour. 

By  Charles  Kingsley  — 

Hereward  the  Wake.  Westward  Ho! 

By  Conan  Doyle  — 

Micah  Clarke  The  White  Company. 

The  Refugees. 

By  Stanley  J.  Weyraan  — 

The  House  of  the  Wolf.  The  Man  in  Black. 

Under  the  Red  Robe.  A  Gentleman  of  France. 

By  Mr.  Andrew  Balfour  — 

By  Stroke  of  Sword.  To  Arms  ! 

By  Mark  Train  - 

The  Prince  and  the  Pauper.          Personal  Recollections  of  Joan  of  Arc. 

There  are  also  historical  stories  more  particularly  in- 
tended by  their  authors  for  grown-up  readers,  but  which  boys 
and  girls  can,  however,  find  quite  interesting  enough,  even  if 
much  has  to  be  skipped.  First  among  these  are  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  novels :  — 

Ivanhoe.  Rob  Eoy. 

Kenilworth.  The  Abbot. 

Woodstock.  The  Monastery. 

Quentin  Durward.  The  Talisman. 

Other  writers  and  books  follow.  By  Alexandre  Dumas  — 
The  Three  Musketeers.  Marguerite  de  Valois. 

Twenty  Years  After.  Chicot  the  Jester. 

The  Vioomte  de  Brageleonne.  The  Forty-five  Guardsmen. 


382  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

By  Charles  Dickens  — 

Barnaby  Rudge.  A  Tale  of  Two  Cities. 

By  Lord  Lytton  — 

Rienzi.  The  Last  of  the  Barons. 

Harold.  The  Last  Days  of  Pompeii. 

Animal  Books 

First  among  the  animal  books  are  Mr.  Kipling's  two 
Jungle  Books.  Two  other  beast  stories  by  Mr.  Kipling  are 
"  Moti  Guj,  Mutineer,"  the  tale  of  a  truant  elephant,  which  is 
in  Life's  Handicap  and  "  The  Maltese  Cat,"  a  splendid  tale 
of  a  polo  pony,  which  is  in  The  Day's  Work.  Next  to  these 
comes  Mr.  E.  Thompson-Seton's  Wild  Animals  I  Have 
Known.  The  lives  of  animals  by  themselves,  or  by  some  one 
who  knows  everything  about  them,  are  always  favorite  books 
with  small  readers.  Among  the  best  are  these :  — 

Black  Beauty  (the  story  of  a  horse)     By  Mrs.  Sewell. 

Conrad  the  Squirrel       .         .         .          "   the  author  of   Wandering  Willie. 

The  Story  of  the  Red  Deer  .         .          "  J.  W.  Fortescue. 

Every  Inch  a  King  (the  story  of  a  dog)  "    Anon. 

The  Lives  of  the  Hunted       .        .          "  E.  Thomson-Seton. 

The  Trail  of  the  Sandhill  Stag       .          "     "  " 

The  Adventures  of  a  Siberian  Cub          "   Leon  Golschmann. 

The  Autobiography  of  a  Grizzly.  "   E.  Thompson-Seton. 

The  best  tale  of  a  bear  is  perhaps  Bret  Harte's  "  Baby  Syl- 
vester," which  will  be  found  in  one  of  his  volumes  of  short 
stories.  Good  animal  stories  are  scattered  about  other  collec- 
tions of  short  stories.  In  Mr.  Anstey's  Paleface  and  Redskin 
are  stories  of  dogs. 

Mr.  Lang's 

Red  Book  of  Animal  Stories 

has  both  dogs  and  cats  in  it,  and  many  other  creatures  too. 
Here  also  should  be  placed  Mr.  Warde  Fowler's 

Tales  of  the  Birds. 


READING  383 

Other  very  popular  animal   books  are  Mr.   Joel  Chandler 
Harris's 

Nights  with  Uncle  Remus,  Mr.  Rabbit  at  Home, 

Uncle  Remus  and  Brer  Rabbit  (largely  illustrations), 

and  the  same  author  has  written  also 

The  Story  of  Aaron,  Aaron  in  the  Wild  Woods, 

which  are  stories  not  only  of  animals,  but  of  people  too ;  and 
here,  perhaps,  may  be  placed  jEsop's  Fables. 

Wood  Magic        .        .        .         By  Richard  Jefferies 

is  an  attempt  to  do  for  English  wild  life  somewhat  the  same 
service  that  Mr.  Kipling  performed  for  India. 

Other  open  air  and  animal  books  are :  — 
By  the  Eev.  J.  G.  Wood  — 

By  Back-yard  Zoo.  Pet  Land. 

Pet  Land  revisited.  A  Tour  Round  My  Garden. 

Also 

Curiosities  of  Natural  History          .         .  By  Frank  Buckland. 

White's  Selborne Edited  by  Frank  Buckland. 

Wanderings  in  South  America         .        .  By  Charles  Waterton. 

Wild  Traits  in  Domestic  Animals    .         -  "   Louis  Robinson. 

The  Voyage  of  the  "  Beagle  "          .         .  "  Charles  Darwin, 

Ants,  Bees,  and  Wasps    .        .        .        .  "Sir  John  Lubbock. 
On  the  Senses,  Instincts,  and  Intelligence  (Lord  Avebury). 

of  Animals "  "  " 

Bob,  Son  of  Battle "  "  " 

A  series  of  very  interesting  scientific  books,  under  the 
general  title  "  The  Komance  of  Science,"  is  published  by  the 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  Among  these 
volumes  are  — 

The  Making  of  Flowers  ....  By  Professor  Henslow. 

The  Birth  and  Growth  of  Worlds    .         .  "  Professor  Green. 

Spinning  Tops         .         .         .         .         .  "  Professor  Perry. 

Time  and  Tide  "  Sir  Robert  Ball. 


384  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW  ? 

The  same  publishers  also  issue  a  series  of  "  Natural  History 
Rambles,"  including  — 

In  Search  of  Minerals      .        .        .        .  By  D.  T.  Ansted. 

Lane  and  Field "   the  Rev  J.  G.  Wood. 

Ponds  and  Ditches "  M.  C.  Cooke. 

Underground "  J.  E.  Taylor. 

The  Woodlands "  M.  C.  Cooke. 

The  Sea-shore "   Professor  Duncan. 

There  is  also  a  new  series,  called  "  The  Wonder  Books  of 
Science,"  of  which 

The  Wonder  Book  of  Volcanoes  and  Earthquakes,  and 
The  Wonder  Book  of  the  Atmosphere 

are  the  first. 

Other  good  scientific  yet  very  entertaining  books :  — 

The  Fairyland  of  Science         .        .        .  By  A.  B.  Buckley. 
Through  Magic  Glasses   ....  " 

Life  and  Her  Children     .         .         .         .  "         "         " 

The  Romance  of  the  Insect  World  .        .  "   Miss  L.  Badenoch. 

The  Ocean MM 

Glaucus "  Charles  Kingsley. 

Madam  How  and  Lady  Why  ...  "        " 

The  Old  Red  Sandstone  ....  "   Hugh  Miller. 

The  Testimony  of  the  Rooks   . 

Homes  without  Hands    .        .        .        .  "   Rev.  J.  G.  Wood. 

Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars      .        .        .        .  "A.  Giberne. 

The  Story  of  the  Heavens        ...  u  Sir  Robert  Ball. 

Other  Worlds  than  Ours          .        .        .  "   R   A.  Proctor. 

The  Orbs  around  Us        .... 

The  Boys'  Book  of  Inventions         .        .  "   R.  S.  Baker. 

Extinct  Animals "   E.  Ray  Lankester. 

Electricity  for  Young  People          .        .  "  Tudor  Jenks. 

History 

A  good  deal  of  more  or  less  truthful  history  will  be  found 
in  the  section  given  to  historical  tales  (see  page  380).  Here 
follows  a  small  list  of  more  serious  historical  books  which  also 
are  good  reading  :  — 


READING 


385 


Tales  of  a  Grandfather    . 

Stories  from  English  History  . 

Lives  of  the  Queeus  of  England 

Cameos  from  English  History  (several  series) 

Stories  from  Roman  History    . 

Deeds  that  Won  the  Empire    . 

Fights  for  the  Flag          .... 


By  Sir  Walter  Scott. 
"   Kev.  A.  J.  Church. 
"  Agnes  Strickland. 

C.  M.  Younge. 

Mrs.  Beesley. 

W.  H.  Fitchett. 


Books  of  Travel 

It  is  not  important  that  travel  books 
should  be  written  especially  for  young 
readers.  Almost  all  records  of  travel 
contain  some  pages  of  interest,  what- 
ever the  remainder  may  be  like.  The 
fact  that  2  book  describes  wanderings 
in  a  far  country  is  enough. 

But  the  books  by  Commander  Rob- 
ert E.  Peary  and  his  wife  deserve 
mention. 

Snowland  Folk. 
The  Snow  Baby. 
Children  of  the  Arctic. 


The  Treatment  of  Library  Books 
On  this  page  is  given  a  copy  of  the 

book   mark  which   a  clergyman,  Mr. 

Henry  Maxson,  prepared  for  the  use 

of  the  readers  in  the  children's  section 

of  a  library  in  Wisconsin. 


BOOK  MARK 

ONCE  upon  a  time  a  Library 
Book  was  overheard  talking 
to  a  little  boy  who  had  just 
borrowed  it.  The  words 
seemed  worth  recording,  and 
here  they  are:  — 

"  Please  don't  handle  me 
with  dirty  hands.  I  should 
feel  ashamed  to  be  seen  when 
the  next  little  boy  borrowed 
me. 

"  Or  leave  me  out  in  the 
rain.  Books  can  catch  cold 
as  well  as  children. 

"  Or  make  marks  on  me 
with  your  pen  or  pencil.  It 
would  spoil  my  looks. 

"  Or  lean  on  me  with  your 
elbows  when  you  are  reading 
me.  It  hurts. 

"  Or  open  me  and  Jay  me 
face  down  on  the  table.  You 
wouldn't  like  to  be  treated  so. 

"  Or  put  in  between  my 
leaves  a  pencil  or  anything 
thicker  than  a  single  sheet  of 
thin  paper.  It  would  strain 
my  back. 

"  Whenever  you  have  fin- 
ished reading  me,  if  you  are 
afraid  of  losing  your  place, 
don't  turn  down  the  corner  of 
one  of  my  leaves,  but  have  a 
neat  little  Book  Mark  to  put 
in  where  you  stopped,  and 
then  close  me  and  lay  me 
down  on  my  side,  so  that  I 
can  have  a  good,  comfortable 
rest. 

"  Remember  that  I  want  to 
visit  a  great  many  other  little 
boys  after  you  have  done 
with  me.  Besides,  I  may 
meet  you  again  some  day, 
and  you  would  be  sorry  to  see 
me  looking  old  and  torn  and 
soiled.  Help  me  to  keep 
fresh  and  clean,  and  I  will 
help  you  to  be  happy." 


APPENDIX  OF  HOLIDAY  GAMES 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  389 

The  following  games  have  been  selected  with  the  hope  that 
the  holiday  hostess  may  find  among  them  delightful  suggestions 
or  even  ready-made  programs  for  holiday  parties.  In  addition 
to  the  new  games  appropriate  to  each  day,  page  references  are 
given  to  other  games  in  the  volume  especially  suited  to  the  cele- 
bration in  question,  and  the  chapter  on  Games  for  a  Party  gives 
many  others  which  will  make  merriment  on  any  occasion. 

NEW  YEAR'S  DAY 
January  1 

Ships  of  Fortune 

The  Ships  of  Fortune  take  a  little  trouble  to  prepare  but  are 
well  worth  it  in  fun.  Make,  according  to  the  directions  given  on 
page  298,  as  many  walnut  shell  boats  as  you  expect  to  have 
guests.  Omit  the  sails.  Fill  a  large,  low  tub  or  pan  more  than 
half  full  of  water  and  gather  the  fortune-seekers  about  it  on  the 
floor,  presenting  each  with  a  boat,  marked  in  some  way  with  a  bit 
of  color  to  identify  it.  Then  each  lights  his  candle  and  the 
shells  are  launched  simultaneously  on  the  "sea  of  life."  The 
fate  of  his  boat  is  supposed  to  indicate  the  owner's  course  dur- 
ing the  coming  year.  If  the  light  burns  steadily  to  the  end  and 
the  boat  rides  safely,  a  happy,  successful  year  is  predicted;  if 
two  boats  travel  side  by  side,  or  cross  each  other's  path,  the  same 
is  foretold  for  their  owners;  if  a  boat  clings  to  the  side  of  the 
tub  it  shows  the  owner  will  not  travel,  and  vice-versa.  The 
watchers  can  invent  much  laughable  prophecy,  according  to  the 
movements  of  the  little  fleet.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  stir  the  water 
with  a  stick,  or  gently  move  the  tub  occasionally  to  create  re- 
newed activity. 

New  Year  Resolutions 

This  is  a  trick  game  which  requires  two  initiated  players, 
one  of  whom  professes  to  be  able  to  guess  a  New  Year  resolution 


390  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

of  each  person  present.  Each  person  writes  a  resolution  on  a 
slip  of  paper,  folds  it  and  puts  it  in  a  hat.  The  hat,  containing 
all  the  resolutions,  folded  alike,  is  placed  before  the  "seer." 
This  person  has  previously  and  secretly  learned  from  the  other 
person  in  the  secret  the  exact  wording  of  his  resolution.  He 
begins  by  taking  out  one  of  the  papers  and  before  opening  it  an- 
nounces the  resolution  he  has  previously  learned.  He  asks  if  any 
one  made  such  a  resolution,  the  person  admits  it,  and  the  seer, 
opening  the  paper,  triumphantly  repeats  the  words,  at  the  same 
time  memorizing  the  resolution  that  is  actually  written  on  the 
paper  he  has  drawn.  He  then  proceeds  as  before,  each  time, 
while  seeming  to  confirm  his  guess,  learning  the  next  resolution. 
Of  course,  no  one  must  be  allowed  to  look  over  his  shoulder  and 
he  must  not  be  required  to  show  the  papers.  If  he  manages 
cleverly  the  audience  is  truly  amazed  at  his  mystic  power. 

Testing  the  Fates 

Place  twelve  lighted  candles  in  a  row  or  large  circle  on  the 
floor,  each  candle  being  of  a  different  color  and  labeled  to  rep- 
resent a  different  month  of  the  year.  Each  player  in  turn  then 
jumps  over  the  candles  and  if  he  succeeds  in  jumping  over  all 
without  putting  out  one,  he  is  assured  of  happiness  and  prosperity 
throughout  the  year.  But  if  he  extinguishes  one  or  more  of 
them  he  will  suffer  some  ill  luck  in  the  month  represented  by 
that  candle. 

New  Year  Spin  the  Platter  Game 

This  is  played  according  to  the  directions  for  Spin  the  Plat- 
ter given  on  page  17,  except  that  the  players,  instead  of  taking 
numbers  or  names  of  towns,  each  represent  a  month  of  the  year. 

Charades  and  tableaux  always  make  fun  for  an  indoor 
holiday  celebration,  especially  for  family  groups  of  old  and 
young.  Descriptions  of  some  of  these  games  are  given  on  pages 
106-109. 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  39 1 

LINCOLN'S  BIRTHDAY 
February  12 
Who  Am  I? 

An  excellent  game  to  open  a  large  party,  particularly  if  the 
guests  are  not  all  acquainted,  is  a  historical  character  guessing 
game.  Provide  a  large  number  of  slips,  each  bearing  the  name 
of  some  well-known  person  in  United  States  history.  Pin  one 
on  the  back  of  each  arrival,  being  sure  that  he  or  she  does  not 
see  the  name.  The  person  must  then  guess  who  he  is,  by  asking 
questions  about  himself  of  the  other  guests.  As  soon  as  he 
guesses  the  name  on  one  slip  he  may  have  another,  and  a  prize 
may  be  given  to  the  person  guessing  the  greatest  number. 

(This  game  is  also  adaptable  to  a  literary  party,  by  using 
names  of  books  and  authors.) 

Lincoln  Anagrams 

Give  each  player  a  slip  bearing  the  anagrams  listed  on  the 
left  below,  plainly  printed  with  space  opposite  each  for  the 
solution,  to  be  made  by  rearranging  the  letters  to  spell  some 
word  connected  with  Lincoln's  history. 

1.  nillocn — (Lincoln) 

2.  enykuctk — (Kentucky) 

3.  macirean — (American) 

4.  ohtens  bea — (Honest  Abe) 

5.  airl  pertilts — (rail  splitter) 

6.  luribacepn —  ( Republican ) 

7.  warely — (lawyer) 

8.  renpetids —  ( president ) 

9.  aervyls — (slavery) 

10.  oftr  ertmus — (Fort  Sumter) 

11.  tobialnio — (abolition) 

12.  utetgygbsr—  ( Gettysburg) 

Breaking  the  Chain 
Several  children  chosen  as  slaves  stand  in  the  center  of  a 


392  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

circle  made  by  the  other  players  with  linked  arms  and  hands 
clasped  in  front.  The  slaves  then  try  to  break  free  as  the  chain 
revolves  about  them.  When  all  are  free  a  new  lot  of  slaves  may 
be  chosen. 

The  game  entitled  Pictures  and  Titles  on  page  55  may  be 
adapted  to  Lincoln's  birthday  by  calling  for  drawings  of  scenes 
in  Lincoln's  life. 


ST.  VALENTINE'S  DAY 

February  14 
St.  Valentine's  Post 

One  of  the  players  is  chosen  as  postman,  while  the  leader 
of  the  game  is  the  postmistress.  The  postman  is  blindfolded 
and  seated  in  the  center  of  a  circle  of  seated  players.  There 
should  be  no  empty  chair.  The  postmistress  whispers  to  each 
person  in  the  circle  the  name  of  a  city  or  town  on  a  list  prepared 
beforehand.  She  then  stands  outside  the  circle  and  calls,  "I 
have  sent  a  Valentine  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco!"  and 
the  players  representing  those  cities  must  exchange  places,  while 
the  blind  postman  tries  to  catch  one  of  them.  When  he  succeeds 
he  is  rewarded  with  a  Valentine  in  an  envelope  bearing  his  name 
and  the  person  caught  takes  his  place  as  postman.  It  is  well  to 
play  until  each  one  has  received  a  Valentine.  These  should  be 
prepared  beforehand,  one  for  each  guest. 

A  Heart  Hunt 

A  heart  hunt,  similar  to  the  familiar  peanut  hunt,  makes 
an  attractive  opening  game  for  a  Valentine  party.  The  hearts 
may  be  small  ones  cut  from  red  cardboard  or  tiny  candy  hearts, 
and  should  be  hidden  in  every  conceivable  nook  and  cranny 
throughout  the  rooms  devoted  to  the  party,  before  the  guests 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  393 

arrive.     Each  hunter  should  be  provided  with  a  small  heart- 
«haped  paper  basket  in  which  to  collect  the  hearts. 

The  game  is  made  somewhat  more  exciting  by  using  differ- 
ent colored  hearts,  rated  differently ;  for  instance,  a  white  heart 
counting  1,  a  blue  one  2  and  a  red  one  3.  The  player  with  the 
highest  ''score"  at  the  end  of  five  (or  ten)  minutes  will  be  the 
winner,  regardless  of  the  number  of  hearts. 

Cupid  Is  Coming 

This  is  a  good  game  for  a  quiet  interval  in  a  Valentine 
party.  Seat  the  players  in  a  circle.  The  leader  then  says, 
1 '  Cupid  is  coming, ' '  and  the  person  at  her  left  must  provide  an 
adverb  beginning  with  A  describing  how  he  is  coming,  for  in- 
stance, ''absurdly"  or  "adoringly"  or  "agilely."  The  next 
player  gives  an  adverb  beginning  with  B,  the  next  C,  and  so  on 
through  the  alphabet.  Great  rapidity  must  be  insisted  upon 
and  forfeits  required  of  players  who  are  not  ready. 

Other  games  suitable  for  this  day  are  Ruth  and  Jacob  on 
page  23,  Consequences  on  pages  68  and  69,  and  I  Love  My  Love 
on  page  88. 

WASHINGTON'S  BIRTHDAY 

February  22 
Washington  Pi 

Supply  each  player  with  a  pencil  and  a  card  containing  the 
list  of  Washington  anagrams  given  on  the  left  below,  the  object 
being  to  guess  and  write  the  solutions  opposite.  At  the  end  of 
ten  minutes  the  correct  answers  are  read  and  the  person  having 
a  perfect  list  is  proclaimed  winner. 

1.  astighownn — (Washington) 

2.  burrefay — (February) 

3.  hyrecr  eret — (cherry  tree) 


394  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

5.  ariottp — (patriot) 

6.  mettsaans — (statesman) 

7.  tomun  nervon — (Mount  Vernon) 

8.  derpneist — (president) 

9.  ulernoiovt — (Revolution) 

10.  lealvy  reogf — (Valley  Forge) 

11.  ealwadre —  ( Delaware ) 

12.  rafbet  fo  ish  utorcny — (Father  of  his  country) 

A  Hatchet  Hunt 

This  is  similar  to  the  Heart  Hunt  described  among  the 
Valentine's  Day  games,  but  instead  of  concealed  hearts,  several 
hundred  little  cardboard  hatchets  are  used,  the  number  of 
minutes  set  for  the  hunt  depending  on  the  quantity  hidden  and 
the  difficulty  of  their  hiding  places. 

The  games  of  Who  Am  I  ?  and  Pictures  and  Titles  described 
for  Lincoln's  Birthday  are  also  suitable  for  "Washington's 
Birthday.  The  Yes  and  No  games  described  on  page  94  are 
easily  adapted  to  Washington  subjects. 

APRIL  FOOL'S  DAY 

April  1 

Obstacle  Race 

Uninitiated  players  must  volunteer  for  this  race  which  may 
be  prepared  for  two  or  more  contestants,  according  to  the  space 
available.  Clear  a  space  down  the  center  of  the  room  and  place 
a  row  of  similar  obstacles  for  each  contestant,  the  articles  in 
each  row  being  three  or  four  feet  apart.  These  articles  are  a 
sofa  cushion,  a  lighted  candle,  and  a  bowl  of  water.  After 
the  contestants  have  seen  the  obstacles  and  measured  the  dis- 
tance with  their  eyes,  they  are  blindfolded  and  told  to  walk  to 
the  end  of  the  course,  avoiding  the  obstacles.  As  soon  as  their 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  395 

eyes  are  covered  all  the  articles  are  quickly  and  silently  re- 
moved, making  the  efforts  to  avoid  them  irresistibly  laughable. 


An  April  Tableau 

A  large  mirror  or  pier  glass  is  necessary  for  this  trick.  It 
should  be  placed  in  a  bay  window  or  doorway  behind  curtains 
that  can  be  readily  drawn  aside  at  the  right  moment.  It  is 
better  to  prepare  this  trick  in  an  out  of  the  way  corner  or  to 
place  a  table  before  the  curtain  so  that  no  one  will  investigate 
too  soon.  At  the  chosen  moment  arrange  the  spectators  before 
the  curtained  mirror  in  a  close  group,  sitting,  kneeling  and 
standing,  so  that  all  may  see.  When  all  are  ready,  pull  the  cur- 
lain  back  and  disclose  the  reflected  tableau  of  expectant  "April 
fools."  "We  are  April  Fools"  may  be  written  in  soap  at  the 
top  of  the  mirror  beforehand. 

Circus  Peep  Show 

The  peep  show  is  made  by  cutting  away  the  ends  of  a  box 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  long  and  a  foot  and  a  half  high,  and 
substituting  gay  curtains  at  each  end.  Paste  translucent  paper 
over  the  top  of  the  box,  leaving  a  space  in  the  center  for  an  ad- 
justable cardboard  slide.  Place  the  box  on  a  stand  or  table 
(about  chin  height  of  the  intended  spectators)  in  a  good  light. 
Prepare  a  list  of  circus  animals  and  characters  and  announce 
exhibition  of  two  at  a  time — for  instance,  ''the  fierce  lion  and 
the  lady  trainer"  or  "the  funniest  clown  on  earth  and  the 
biggest  elephant."  Select  a  girl  and  a  boy  for  the  first  view 
and  let  them  simultaneously  draw  the  curtains  at  each  end  of 
the  box.  Withdraw  the  slide  from  the  center  at  the  same 
instant,  and  the  "fierce  lion"  and  the  "lady  trainer"  confront 
each  other.  They  must  of  course,  keep  the  secret  and  enjoy 
the  joke  on  the  succeeding  couples  to  "peep."  (A  pretense 


396  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

at  rearranging  the  show  should  be  made  before  announcement 
of  each  new  exhibit.) 

Other  games  suited  to  April  Fooling  are  The  Donkey's 
Tail,  and  The  Blind  Feeding  the  Blind  on  page  5,  Blowing  Out 
the  Candle  on  page  6,  The  Whistle  on  page  8,  The  Concerted 
Sneeze  on  page  27,  Old  Maid's  Birthday  on  page  81,  and  Mak- 
ing Obeisance  and  Mesmerism  on  page  99. 

EASTER 
Variable  between  March  22  and  April  25 

The  Giant  Cobweb 

This  game  is  always  a  favorite,  though  it  takes  consider- 
able trouble  to  prepare.  From  the  claws  of  a  huge  paper 
spider  suspended  in  the  center  of  the  room  hang  as  many  ends 
of  colored  twine  as  there  are  guests.  Each  person  is  told  to 
follow  the  string  until  he  comes  to  the  end,  winding  as  he  goes. 
The  balls  have  been  previously  wound  among  table  and  chair 
legs,  around  doorknobs,  in  and  out  the  stair  rails — in  fact  every- 
where— in  the  most  complicated  manner  possible.  An  Easter 
egg  or  small  gift  should  be  tied  to  the  hidden  end  of  each 
string. 

An  Egg  Hunt 

An  egg  hunt,  similar  to  that  described  as  a  Heart  Hunt 
in  the  Valentine  games,  is  always  successful  at  an  Easter  party. 
Either  colored  paper  eggs  or  tiny  candy  eggs  may  be  used. 

Easter  Ribbon  Race 

This  is  a  contest  for  two  or  more  players.  If  three  are  to 
play  at  a  time,  place  three  similar  chairs  at  the  end  of  the  room 
and  to  the  back  of  each  fasten  a  strip  of  crepe  paper  (or  colored 
cheesecloth)  four  or  five  yards  long  and  an  inch  and  a  half 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  397 

wide.  Stretch  these  "ribbons"  as  far  as  they  will  go  and  give 
an  end  to  each  contestant,  being  sure  the  strips  are  exactly  the 
same  length.  Supply  each  with  a  good  pair  of  scissors  and  at 
a  given  signal  let  all  begin  to  cut  through  the  center  of  the 
strip  toward  the  chair.  The  one  who  reaches  the  chair  first 
without  cutting  off  the  edge  of  the  strip  wins. 


An  Egg  Race 

For  the  egg  race  select  leaders  for  two  even  sides.  Place 
six  hard  boiled  Easter  eggs  in  a  row,  about  a  foot  apart,  on 
each  side  of  the  room,  with  a  basket  at  the  end  of  each  row. 
The  leader  of  each  side  is  provided  with  a  large  wooden  spoon 
(these  must  be  alike)  and  at  a  given  signal  starts  to  pick  up 
the  eggs  in  his  row  and  place  them  in  the  basket.  Having  done 
this,  he  replaces  the  eggs  as  they  were,  on  the  floor  and  hands 
the  spoon  to  the  next  player  on  his  side,  who  repeats  the  proc- 
ess. The  side  which  first  finishes  wins.  Any  help  from  the 
other  hand  or  the  foot  disqualifies  a  player  and  she  must  begin 
again. 

The  Dancing  Egg  on  page  124  and  Hen  and  Chickens  on 
page  130  are  other  appropriate  Easter  games. 

MAY  DAY 

May  1 

Nothing  is  more  appropiate  to  May  Day  than  the  delight- 
ful old  English  May  Day  games,  of  which  a  number  are  given 
in  this  volume.  Nuts  in  May,  page  12,  London  Bridge,  page 
15,  Lady  Queen  Anne,  page  20,  The  Mulberry  Bush,  page  28, 
Looby,  Looby,  page  29,  The  Muffin  Man,  page  32,  Tom  Tiddi- 
ler's  Ground,  page  129,  Hen  and  Chickens,  page  130,  and  Hunt 
the  Squirrel,  page  153  are  especially  appropriate. 


398  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW'? 

INDEPENDENCE  DAY 

July  4 

What  Will  You  Bring  to  the  Picnic? 

A  trick  game  that  is  most  successful  if  the  leader  alone 
knows  the  secret,  till  it  is  guessed.  He  should  announce  that 
he  intends  giving  a  picnic  but  that  it  depends  upon  what  two 
articles  each  guest  decides  to  contribute  toward  the  lunch, 
whether  or  not  he  shall  be  invited.  The  leader,  who,  by  the 
way,  must  be  well-enough  acquainted  with  the  company  to  know 
the  initials  of  each  one  present,  proceeds  to  ask  each  in  turn 
what  he  or  she  will  contribute.  If,  in  answer  to  the  question, 
''What  will  you  bring  to  the  picnic ?"  a  person  names  articles 
which  do  not  begin  with  the  initial  of  either  her  first  or  last 
name,  she  is  told  she  may  not  go,  but  if,  for  instance,  her  name 
is  Sally  Jones  and  she  chooses  to  bring  sandwiches  and  peaches, 
she  is  made  welcome.  If  she  should  select  sandwiches  and  jelly 
she  is  made  doubly  welcome!  Each  player  answers  the  ques- 
tion, the  object  being  for  the  company  to  guess  the  cause  for 
acceptance  or  rejection  of  their  contributions. 

Red,  White  and  Blue  Toss 

Out  of  heavy  cardboard  cut  nine  discs  about  five  inches  in 
diameter,  and  paint,  or  cover  them  with  red,  white  and  blue 
paper,  making  three  of  each  color.  The  game  consists  of  throw- 
ing these  into  a  basket  from  a  distance  of  six  feet.  A  waste 
paper  basket  will  do.  To  play  it  by  sides,  mark  the  distance 
of  six  feet  from  opposite  sides  of  the  basket,  assigning  a  side 
to  each  team.  Each  team  then  plays  five  rounds,  ninety  being 
the  highest  possible  score  for  each  player,  a  red  disc  in  the  bas- 
ket counting  1,  a  white  disc  2  and  a  blue,  3.  The  sides  should 
alternate  in  play,  each  individual  player  throwing  all  nine  discs 
and  making  her  score  to  be  reckoned  in  her  team's  total.  The 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  399 

greatest  total  score  of  all  the  players  on  a  side  wins  the  con- 
test. Of  course,  the  game  may  be  played  without  sides,  the 
single  winner  of  the  highest  score  being  victor. 

Battle  Guessing  Contest 

A  quiet  interval  in  a  Fourth  of  July  party  may  be  pro- 
vided in  guessing  Battle  anagrams.  Give  each  player  a  pencil 
and  a  card  bearing  the  mixed  letters,  given  below,  of  the  names 
of  famous  battles.  The  person  guessing  the  most  battles  by 
rearranging  the  letters,  should  receive  a  prize.  If  the  players 
are  younger  children  it  would  be  well  to  confine  the  list  to 
familiar  battles  of  United  States  history,  substituting  these  for 
the  European  battles  on  the  list  below. 

1.  hortaman — (Marathon) 

2.  rolawote — (Waterloo) 

3.  geixontln — (Lexington) 

4.  redunv — (Verdun) 

5.  yeccr — (Crecy) 

6.  taghinss — (Hastings) 

7.  alimna — (Manila) 

8.  moleepythar — (Thermopylae) 

9.  surteggytb — (Gettysburg) 

10.  renbuk'lihl—  (Bunker  Hill) 

11.  motapxopat — (Appomatox) 

12.  wooyrktn — (Yoi-ktown) 

Flag  Contest 

Display  the  flags  of  fifteen  or  twenty  different  countries 
on  a  strip  of  white  canvas  or  a  plain  wall,  numbering  each,  and 
retaining  a  correct  list  of  the  flags  numbered  correspondingly. 
The  players  are  provided  with  paper  and  pencil  and  pass  before 
the  flags,  writing  the  name  of  the  country  to  which  each  be- 
longs opposite  its  number.  The  person  identifying  the  greatest 
number  wins. 


400  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

A  Torpedo  Hunt 

For  the  torpedo  hunt,  each  player  is  provided  with 
a  paper  bag  in  which  to  collect  torpedoes,  hidden  within  a 
specified  area.  A  prize  of  a  flag  may  be  given  to  the  finder  of 
the  greatest  number,  and  the  torpedoes  and  bags  be  utilized 
rn  a  grand  salute  to  the  prize. 

Old  Soldier,  page  13,  The  Sergeant,  page  24,  and  Tug  of 
"War,  page  38,  as  well  as  all  the  games  in  the  chapter  on  Out- 
door Games  for  Boys,  are  suitable  for  an  Independence  Day 
party. 

HALLOWE'EN 

October  31 

The  Three  Bowls  of  Fortune 

Place  in  a  row  on  a  table  three  bowls,  one  empty,  one  con- 
taining clear  water,  and  the  other  milky  water.  The  girl  wish- 
ing to  try  her  fortune  is  blindfolded,  turned-about  three  times 
and  led  to  the  bowls.  She  is  then  told  to  put  her  left  hand  into 
one  of  them.  If  she  touches  the  clear  water  she  will  marry  a 
bachelor ;  if  the  milky  water,  a  widower ;  if  the  empty  bowl,  she 
will  remain  unmarried.  This  ceremony  should  be  repeated 
three  times,  and  the  hand  dipped  twice  in  the  same  bowl  to 
make  the  test  doubly  sure. 

A  Raisin  Race 

This  provides  lots  of  fun  for  the  spectators  as  well  as  for 
the  performers.  In  the  exact  center  of  a  piece  of  clean  white 
string  one  yard  long  a  large  fat  raisin  is  tied  securely.  The 
two  contestants  with  hands  tied  or  clasped  behind  them  then 
chew  the  two  ends  of  the  string  simultaneously.  The  one  who 
reaches  the  raisin  first  wins. 


HOLIDAY  GAMES  401 

The  Ring  and  the  Goblet 

The  equipment  for  this  fortune  telling  experiment  is  a 
wedding  ring  or  light  key,  a  long  hair  plucked  from  the  ex- 
perimenter's head,  and  a  glass  containing  a  little  water.  Pass 
the  hair  through  the  ring  so  that  the  ring  will  swing  freely  in 
the  glass,  then  say  the  alphabet  slowly.  The  letters  on  which 
the  ring  strikes  the  glass  will  spell  the  name  of  the  experi- 
menter's fate. 

Other  games  suitable  for  a  Hallowe'en  frolic  are  Shadow 
Buff  on  page  5,  Blow  Out  The  Candle  and  Apple-Snapping  on 
page  6,  Eyes,  Making  Obeisance,  and  Mesmerism  on  page 
99,  the  Thought  Reading  Tricks  on  pages  100  and  102,  Witches 
on  page  131,  The  Cat  Alphabet  on  page  166,  and  Shadows  On 
The  Wall,  page  279. 

THANKSGIVING  DAY 
The  Last  Thursday  of  November 

The  Headless  Turkey 

This  game  is  an  adaptation  of  The  Tailless  Donkey,  par- 
ticularly appropriate  to  Thanksgiving  Day.  A  large  silhouette 
of  a  headless  turkey  cut  from  black  paper  or  muslin  and  pasted 
on  a  sheet,  is  tacked  firmly  across  a  doorway  or  upon  a  wall. 
Each  member  of  the  party  is  given  a  pin  and  a  black  muslin 
turkey  head  which  if  rightly  placed  will  fit  the  turkey.  Then 
each  in  turn  is  blindfolded  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  room, 
turned  three  times,  and  directed  toward  the  turkey.  The  ef- 
forts to  pin  the  head  on  the  right  spot  are  most  amusing. 

A  Nut  Race 

The  Potato  Race  described  on  page  40  makes  a  good  Thanks- 
giving game,  and  a  more  difficult  and  exciting  adaptation  of 
this  is  A  Nut  Race,  played  similarly,  but  with  nuts  picked  up 
and  carried  to  the  goal  on  the  end  of  a  dinner  knife. 


402  WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO  NOW? 

Charades  and  tableaux  as  described  on  pages  106-109  are 
also  recommended  for  family  fun  on  Thanksgiving  Day. 

CHRISTMAS  DAY 

December  25 

The  Night  Before  Christmas 

This  is  an  adaptation  of  Family  Coach  (see  page  33)  suit- 
able for  a  Christmas  party.  The  players  sit  in  a  large  circle  and 
to  each  one  is  whispered  a  word  occurring  in  Moore's  well 
known  <<7Twas  the  Night  Before  Christmas, "  such  words,  for 
instance,  as  house,  mouse,  reindeer,  mama,  Donner,  Blitzen, 
stocking,  etc.  If  there  are  few  players,  two  or  even  three  words 
can  be  given  to  each.  Then  the  person  in  the  center  of  the  ring 
reads  or  repeats  the  poem  and  each  player  as  her  word  is  men- 
tioned, rises  and  turns  around.  At  any  time  the  reader  is 
privileged  to  cry  "St.  Nicholas!"  when  all  must  change  seats 
and  the  reader  tries  to  secure  one.  If  she  is  successful  the 
player  who  is  left  standing  must  continue  the  story. 

Christmas  Stockings 

Pin  or  araw  on  a  sheet  tacked  to  the  wall  a  full  sized  fire 
place  with  a  mantelpiece  but  do  not  make  it  too  high  if  the 
players  are  to  be  small  children.  Provide  each  player  with  a 
small  empty  stocking  and  a  pin,  blindfold  each  in  turn  and 
tell  him  to  hang  the  stocking  on  the  mantelpiece.  If  he  succeeds, 
drop  a  small  toy  into  the  stocking  before  removing  the  handker- 
chief from  his  eyes.  If  the  stocking  is  out  of  place  it  remains 
empty — unless  a  second  try  for  the  unsuccessful  is  agreed  upon. 

Christmas  Music 

Magic  Music  as  described  on  page  9  may  be  made  especially 
appropriate  for  a  Christmas  party  by  choosing  a  hollyberry  a 


HOLIDAY  GAMES 

the  object  to  be  sought  and  playing  Christmas  music  during 
the  search. 

What  Do  I  See? 

This  is  a  good  memory  game  for  any  occasion  but  there  is 
particular  fun  in  it  when  Christmas  gifts  received  are  on  dis- 
play. On  a  table  place  a  collection  of  from  25  to  30  articles. 
The  following  are  suggested  unless  a  collection  of  Christmas 
gifts  is  available:  A  spool  of  thread,  a  pair  of  scissors,  a  pic- 
ture frame,  a  thimble,  a  knife,  a  pencil,  a  paper  weight,  a  box, 
a  book, — in  fact  any  easily  recognizable  objects.  Let  all  the 
players  examine  the  articles  for  three  minutes,  then  cover  them 
carefully  out  of  sight.  Give  each  player  a  pencil  and  paper 
and  let  him  make  a  list  of  as  many  of  the  things  as  he  can  re- 
member. The  best  memory  wins  the  prize. 

Blowing  Out  The  Candle  on  page  6  may  be  played  with 
lighted  candles  of  a  Christmas  tree.  Bag  and  Stick  on  page  7 
is  also  a  good  Christmas  game. 


THE  END 


INDEX  OF  HOLIDAY  GAMES 


Anagrams,  Lincoln,  391 
Apple  snapping,  6 
April  tableau,  an,  395 


Bag  and  stick,   7 
Battle  guessing  contest,  399 
Blind  feeding  the  blind,   5 
Blowing  out  the  candle,   6 
Breaking  the  chain,  391 


Cat  alphabet,  166 
Charades,   106 
Christmas  music,   402 
Christmas  stockings,   402 
Circus  peep-show,  395 
Cobweb,  giant,  the,  396 
Concerted  sneeze,  the,  27 
Consequences,  68-69 
Cupid  is  coming,   393 


Dancing  egg,  the,   124 
Donkey's  tail,   the,   5 

E 

Easter  ribbon  race,  396 
Egg  hunt,  an,  396 
Egg  race,  an,  397 
Eyes,   99 


P 


Flag  contest,  399 
Fortune,  three  bowls  of,  400 
ships  of,  389 

G 
Giant  cobweb,  the,  396 


H 

Hatchet  hunt,  a,  394 
Headless  turkey,  401 
Heart  hunt,  a,  392 
Hen  and  chickens,   130 
Hunt  the  squirrel,   153 
Hunt,   egg,  an,   396 

hatchet,  a,  394 

heart,  a,  392 

torpedo,   400 


I  love  my  love,   88 


Lady  Queen  Anne,  20 
Lincoln  anagrams,  391 
London  bridge,  15 
Looby,  looby,  29 

M 

Making  obeisance,   99 
Mesmerism,   99 
Muffin  man,   the,   32 
Mulberry  bush,  the,  28 
Music,  Christmas,  402 
405 


406 


INDEX 


N 


New  Year  resolutions,  389 
New  Year  spin  the  platter  game, 

390 

Night  before  Christmas,  402 
Nut  race,  401 
Nuts  in  May,  12 


S 


Sergeant,  the,  24 
Shadow  buff,  5 
Shadows  on  the  wall,  279 
Ships  of  fortune,  389 
St.  Valentine's  post,  392 


Obstacle  race,  394 
Old  maid's  birthday,  81 
Old  soldier,  13 


Peep-show,  circus,  395 
Pictures  and  titles,  55 
Post,  St.  Valentine's,  392 
Potato  race,   40 


R 


Race,  Easter  ribbon,   396 

egg,  an,   397 

nut,   401 

obstacle,   394 

potato,   40 

raisin,   400 
Raisin  race,  400 
Red,  white  and  blue  toss,  398 
Resolutions,  New  Year,   389 
Ring  and  the  goblet,  401 
Ruth  and  Jacob,  23 


Tableau,  April,  an,   392 
Tableaux,   108 
Testing  the  fates,  390 
Three  bowls  of  fortune,  400 
Thought  reading  tricks,  100-102 
Tom  Tiddler's  ground,  129 
Torpedo  hunt,  400 
Tricks,  thought  reading,  100-102 
Tug  of  war,  the,  38 


W 


Washington  Pi,  393 
What  do  I  see?  403 
What  will  you  bring  to  the  picnic? 

398 

Whistle,  the,  8 
Who  am  I?  391 
Witches,  131 


Yes  and  No,  94 


INDEX 


ACROBATIC  impossibilities,  36 
Acrobatics,  drawing-rooin,  35-41 
Acrostics,  59 
Acting  initials,  97 

games,  97-109 

proverbs,  97 

verbs  (Dumb  Crambo),  98 
Adders,  212 
Adhesive  tape,  243 
Adventure,  stories  of,  376 
Advertisements,  21 
Almonds,  how  to  blanch,  310 
Alphabet,  the  cafe,  166 
Alphabet,  the  love,  88,  165 
Alphabet,  the  ship,  87 
Anemone,  325 
Angora  rabbits,  348 
Animal,  vegetable  and  mineral,  96 
Animals,  books  about,  382 

China,  192 

composite  (drawing  game),  51 

invented  (drawing  game),  54 

velvet,  289 

Annuals,  treatment  of,  319-323 
Ants,  213 
Apple-snapping,  6 
Apprentice,  the,  167 
Arm-chair  (model),  251 
Aspidistra,  331 
Auctioning  prizes,  43 
Autumn  sowing  of  seedlings,  321 
Avadavats,  358 


BAG  and  stick,  7 
Balancing,  187 
Balancing  tricks,  122 
Ball  games,  139 

wool,  282 

Ballad  game,  the,  132 
Balloon,  39 
Barley  Sugar,  307 
Baths  for  birds,  355 
•  Battledoor  and  shuttlecock,  129 
Bead  furniture  for  dolls'  houses,  223 
Bead-work,  283 
Bean  bags,  113 
Bed  boat,  the,  189 

games,  185-193 

soldiers,  191 

thinking  games  for,  189 
Beds  for  dolls'  houses,  222 

matchbox,  231 
Bedstead  (model),  252 
Bees,  205 
Belgian  hares,  349 
Bicyclist,  the,  34 
Biennials,  treatment  of,  322 
Bingo,  27 
Birds,  large  and  cage,  355-366 

in  the  garden,  363-366 
Birds' -nesting,  207 
Birthday,  the  old  maid's,  81 
Blackberrying,  209 
Blackbird,  the,  360 
Black  man,  158 
Blacksmith,  the,  206 
Blenheim  spaniels,  347 
Blind  feeding  the  blind,  the,  6 
Blind  games,  3-5 
Blind  man's  buff,  3 

played  with  spoons,  3 


407 


408 


INDEX 


Blind  man's  wand,  4 
Blind  worms,  212 
Block  city,  188 
Bloodhound,  the,  347 
Blowing  eggs,  207 
Blowing  out  the  candle,  6 
Boat,  a  simple  toy,  295 
Boats,  paper,  285 

on  a  stream,  211 

sailing,  210 

walnut  shell,  298 
Book  mark,  385 
Books  — 

and  bookshelves  for  a  doll's  house, 
224 

about  animals,  382 

about  boys,  376 

of  adventure,  376 

about  children,  373 

of  fairy  tales,  370 

historical,  380-382,  384 

of  poetry,  371 

about  the  sea.  379 

of  travel,  385 

of  legendary  tales,  371 
Borders  for  a  garden,  319 
Borzoi,  the,  347 
Bowling,  143 
Boxes,  cardboard,  288 

for  collections  of  eggs,  208 

for  dolls'  houses,  220 

paper,  287 

Boy  and  schoolboy  stories,  376 
Boys'  toys,  292-301 
Bran-tubs.  303 
Bream,  351 
Bricks,  185 
Bruce 's  heart,  187 
Bubbles,  soap,  116,  279 
Buff,  26 

Buff,  blind  man's,  3 
Buff,  shadow,  5 
Bulbs,  treatment  of,  325-326 

in  cocoannt  fibre,  333 

in  glasses,  333 

in  pots,  332 
Bull  dog,  the,  346 
Bullfinch,  the,  359 
Bull  terrier,  the,  343 
Bunting,  the  yellow,  360 
Buried  names,  63 


Butterfly  hunting,  208 
Butter  making,  205 
Buying  dogs,  342 
Buz,  167 


CAGE  birds,  355-366 
Cages  for  birds,  355 
Campanulas,  332 
Canaries,  357 

seed,  332 
Candle-blowing,  6 
Candle  lighters,  the,  38 
Candy-making,  307-312 
Candy,  molasses,  310 

nut,  310 

peppermint,  311 
Caramels,  308 

cream,  309 
Cardboard  and  paper  furniture :  — 

drawings  of,  241-257 

arm-chair,  251 

bedstead,  252 

chair,  256 

cot,  257 

cut-outs,  291 

dining-room  table,  249 

dressing-table,  254 

high  chair,  257 

kitchen  chair,  247 
range,  247 
table,  246 
pots  and  pans,  248 

rocking-chair,  256 

screen,  248 

sideboard,  250 

sofa,  251 

towel-rack,  256 

wardrobe,  253 

washstand,  255 
Cardboard  and  paper  toys,  284-292 


INDEX 


409 


Cardboard  boxes,  288 

dolls'  houses,  237-243 

uses  for,  290 
Card  games,  77-83 
Cardinal,  the,  358 
Cards  for  patience,  76 

for  snap,  77 
Cards,  hat  and,  38 
Catalogues,  gardening,  316 
Cat  alphabet,  the,  166 
Catching  balls,  140 
Caterpillar  game,  11 
Caterpillars,  353 
Cat-fish,  the  American,  352 
Cats,  348 
Chaffinch,  the,  359 
Chair  (model),  256 
Chairs,  chestnut,  229 

cork,  228 
Chalks,  275 

Characteristics,  prophecies  and,  80 
Charades,  106 
Cherry  contests,  304 
Chevy,  156 

Chickens,  feeding  the,  204 
Child's  Garden  of  Verses,  A,  188 
Children,  books  about,  373 
China  animals,  192 

nest-eggs,  204 
Chinese  gambling,  181 
Chitterbob,  31 
Christmas,  302-303 

trees,  302 

Clap  in,  clap  out,  15 
Clothes-basket,  a  doll's  house,  234 
Clothes-horse,  summer  house,  136 
Clumber  spaniel,  the,  344 
Clumps,  93 
Coach,  family,  33 
Cobbler,  the,  14 
Cocked  hat,  paper,  284 
Cocker  spaniel,  the,  344 
Cocoanut  cream,  308 

drops,  308 

fibre  for  bulbs,  332 
Coffee-pot,  95 
Collars  for  dogs,  340 
Collecting  Jones's,  165 
Collections  of  china  animals,  192 

of  flags,  273 

of  flowers,  208 


Collections,  continued 

of  stamps,  278 
Collie,  the,  344 
Color  in  a  garden,  316 
Coloring  maps,  273 

pictures,  273 

Compasses,  home-made,  243 
Competitions,  guessing,  103 

railway,  173 
Composite  animals  (drawing  game),  51 

scrap  books,  277 

stories,  70 

Concerted  sneeze,  the,  27 
Concerts,  the  topsy-turvy,  105 
Consequences,  68 

an  extended  form  of,  69 
Contests,  cherry,  304 
Convalescents,  games  for,  191 
Copying  woodcuts,  274 
Cork  and  matchbox  furniture,  228-234 

ships,  197 
Cot  (model),  257 
Counting  dogs,  164 

a  million,  191 

Counting  imaginary  flocks  of  sheep,  191 
Counting-out  rhymes,  134 
Country  books,  215 
Country,  employment  in  the,  203-215 
Cows,  206 

Cradle,  a  walnut,  232 
Cream  caramels,  309 

cocoanufc,  308 

stuffing  for  dates,  311 
Cress,  mustard  and,  327,  332 
Crocuses,  325 
Crosses,  noughts  and,  176 
Cross  questions,  22 
Cross-tag,  152 
Cumulative  games,  29-31 
Curtains  for  cardboard  dolls'  houses, 
238 

dolls'  house,  221 
Cushion,  14 

Cutting  flowers,  335-336 
Cutting  out  pictures,  191 
Cutting  leaves,  326 


4io 


INDEX 


DAFFODILS,  325,  333 
Dairy,  the,  205 
Daisy  chains,  135 
Dancing  dwarf,  the,  105 
Dancing  egg,  the,  124 
Dancing  man,  a,  289 
Dancing  pea,  the,  124 
Darts,  paper,  286 
Dates,  stuffed,  311 
Day's  shopping,  the,  14 
Decorations,  evergreen,  302 

paper.  302 

Deerhouud,  the  Scotch,  347 
Deer  Stalking,  6 
Demons,  wool,  282 
Diaries,  country,  214 

gardening,  317 

Dining-room  table  (model),  249 
Dinner  parties,  dolls',  226 
Distemper,  treatment  of,  341 
Ditto  game,  the,  26 
Dividing  perennials,  324 
Dog-stick,  145 
Dogs,  counting,  164 

exercising.  339 

food  for.  33!) 

how  to  buy.  342 

how  to  teach  tricks,  341 

the  various  kinds  of,  343-348 

treatment  of,  339-343 

washing,  340 
Dogs'  collars,  340 

kennel  (cardboard),  241 
Dolls  for  dolls'  houses,  225 

dressing,  226 

paper,  258-262 

rows  of  paper,  262 

walking,  259 
Dolls'  dinner  parties,  226 

flats,  226 

garden  seats  and  tables,  219 

houses,  220 
cardboard,  237-243 
chimney,  242 
partition,  240 
small,  227 

house  beds,  222 
bookshelves,  224 
cupboards,  225 
curtains,  221 


Dolls  house,  continued 

fireplaces,  220 

floors,  221 

gardens,  220,  242 

pictures,  224 

screens,  225 

wall  papers,  220 
Donkey's  tail,  the,  5 
Dots,  five,  47,  48 
Double  acrostics,  60 
Doves,  354 
Dragons,  hand,  290 
Drawing  games,  47-56 
Drawing-room  acrobatics,  35-41 
Drawings,  eyes-shut,  50 
Drawing  tricks,  51 
Dresses  for  paper  dolls,  258 
Dressing  dolls,  226 
Dressing  the  lady,  13 
Dressing-table  (model),  254 
table,  matchbox,  232 
up  for  charades,  108 
Dock  on  a  rock,  142 
Ducks'  eggs,  204 
Dumb  Crambo,  98 

performances,  107 
Dutch  rabbits,  349 
Dutch  street,  a,  267 
Dwarf,  the  dancing,  105 


EASTER  eggs,  275 
Eggs,  blowing,  207 

ducks',  204 

Easter,  275 

hens',  204 


INDEX 


411 


Electricity,  125 
Elements,  the,  90 
Employments,  guessing,  98 
Esquimau  village,  a,  266 
Evergreen  decorations,  302 
Everton  toffee,  310 
Exercising  dogs,  339 
Exploration,  203 
Eyes,  99 
Eyes-shut  drawings,  50 


FAIRY-TALE  books,  370 
Family  coach,  33 

specimen  story,  33 
Family,  the  imaginary,  190 
Fan  tail  pigeons,  354 
Farmyards,  203 
Feather,  the,  21 
Feeding  chickens, 
Fern  halls,  331 
Ferns,  331 

skeleton,  281 
Fights,  walnut  shell,  299 
Filipino  village,  a,  266 
Fire-huckets,  40 
Fireplaces  for  dolls'  houses,  220 
Fish,  351 
Five  dots,  47-48 
Fives,  61 

Flags,  collection  of,  273 
Floors  in  dolls'  houses,  222 
Flower  pots,  330 
Flower  shows,  136,  317 
Flower  symbols,  136 


Flowers,  collecting,  208 

cutting,  335 

for  a  doll's  house,  225 

packing,  335 

painting,  209 

for  town  gardens,  328 

for  window  boxes,  334 
Fly  away,  23 
Follow  my  leader,  159 
Food  for  birds,  356 

for  chickens  and  ducks,  204 

for  dogs,  339 

for  puppies,  340 

for  rabbits,  349 

for  wild  birds,  359,  361,  365 

on  a  railway  journey,  180 
Football,  parlor,  39 
Foot-stools,  cork,  230 
Forfeits,  41 
Fowls,  trussed,  37 
Fox  terrier,  the,  343 
French  and  English,  158 

(paper).  177 
French  tag,  152 
French  Blind  Man's  Buff,  4 
Fruit  cream,  309 
Fuchsias,  332 

Furnishing  dolls'  houses,  222 
Furnishing  game,  a,  221 


GAMES  with  a  ball,  139 
by  rote,  189 
drawing,  47-  56 
in  bed,  185-193 
with  cards,  75-83 


412 


INDEX 


Games,  continued 
for  convalescents,  191 
for  a  journey,  173-181 
for  a  party,  3-43 
for  a  picnic,  151-159 
quotation,  92 
rainy-day,  113-126 
table,  75-83 
thinking,  guessing,  and  acting,  87- 

109 

for  a  walk,  163-170 
with  a  watch,  175 
writing,  59-72 
yes  and  no,  94-96 
Gambling,  Chinese,  181 
Gaps,  154 

Garden,  dolls'  house,  219,  242 
kitchen,  327 
shop,  136 
town,  328 

Gardening  catalogues,  316 
diaries,  317 
tools,  318 
General  post,  17 
Geraniums,  332 
Ghosts  of  My  Friends,  50 
Glasses,  bulbs  in,  333 
Glass-maker,  the,  125 
Going  to  Jerusalem,  10 
Goldfinch,  the,  359 
Gold  fish,  351 
Good  fat  hen,  a,  30 
Good  luck  lily,  333 
Gordon  setter,  344 
Gossip,  21 
Grab,  78 

Grand  Mogul,  the,  166 
Grand  Mufti,  the,  25 
Grass  snakes,  212 
Great  Dane,  the,  346 
Greyhound,  the,  347 
Guessing  competitions,  103 
employments.  98 
games,  93-104 
numbers,  102 
quantities,  104 
results,  102 
scents,  104 

the  color  of  horses'  tails.  164 
Guinea  pigs,  350 
Gypsy  camp,  268 


H 

HAND  dragons,  290 

Hanging,  179 

Hare  and  hounds,  145 

Hat  and  cards,  38 

Hate,  cocked,  284 

Hawks,  213 

Heads,  bodies  and  tails,  54 

He  can  do  little  who  can't  do  this,  8 

Hen  and  chickens,  130 

Hen,  a  good  fat,  30 

Hens'  eggs,  where  to  look  for,  204 

Here  I  bake.  13 

Hide  and  seek,  154 

Hieroglyphics,  or  picture-writing,  62. 
53,  55 

High  chair  (model),  257 

High  skip,  38 

Himalayan  rabbits,  349 

Hish  !  hash  !  hosh  !  27 

Historical  stories,  380-382 

History  books.  385 

Hives,  bee,  205 

Hold  fast !  Let  go  !  24 

Home  newspaper,  the,  284 

Honey-pots,  11 

Hoop  games  for  two,  169 
posting,  169 

Hoops,  169 

Hop-scotch,  143 

Hop,  step,  and  jump,  159 

Hospitals,  scrap  books  for,  277 

Hot  and  cold,  9 

Hot  hand,  175 

Hotel  game,  an,  188 

Hounds,  346 

Houses,  cardboard,  237-242 
dolls',  220 

House  that  glue  built,  the,  243 

Bow,  when,  and  where,  95 


INDEX 


Hunting  for  eggs,  204 
Hunt  the  ring,  19 
Hunt  the  slipper,  7 
Hunt  the  squirrel,  153 
Hunt  the  thimble,  9 
Hutches,  rabbit,  349 
Hyacinths,  325,  333 


JACK  HORNEB  pies,  303 

Jack-stones,  116 

Japanese  fern  balls,  331 

Java  sparrows,  358 

John  Ball,  31 

Jinglers,  3 

Jolly  miller,  the,  10 

Jones's,  collecting,  165 

Journeys,  games  to  play  on,  173-181 

Judge  and  Jury,  22 

Jumping  Rope,  129 


ILLUMINATING,  274 
Illustrated  papers,  painting,  273 
Illustrating,  120 
I  love  my  love,  88,  165 
Imaginary  family,  the,  190 
Improbable  stories,  70 
India-rubber  plant,  331 
Indoor  gardening,  329-334 

occupations  and  things  to  make,  273 

painting,  273 

plants,  331 
Initials,  65,  189 

acting,  97 

Ink  sea-serpents,  288 
Invented  animals  (drawing  game),  54 
Irises,  325 
Irish  setter,  344 

terrier,  343 
I  spy,  155 
It,  152 
Ivy,  331 

chains,  135 


KILLING  butterflies,  208 
King  Charles  spaniel,  347 
Kingfishers,  212 
Kitchen  gardens,  327 
table  (model),  246 
chair  247 

range        "        247 
pots  and  pans,  248 
Kitchen  utensils,  18 
Kite  messengers,  295 
Kites,  292 
Knots,  117-120 


414 


INDEX 


LADY  QUEEN  ANNE,  20 
Lamp  for  small  dolls'  house,  230 
Land  of  counterpane,  the,  191 
Land  of  Story-books,  the,  188 
Laughter,  26 
Leaves,  skeleton,  280 
Legendary  tales,  371 
Letter  games,  75 
Letters  and  telegrams,  63 

and  words,  178 

with  a  pencil,  178 
Lettuce,  327 
Lights,  rhyming,  167 
Lists,  62 

Little  dog,  the,  152 
Looby,  looby,  29 
Log  Houses,  268 

London  Bridge  is  Falling  Down,  15 
Love  alphabet,  the,  88,  165 
Love-birds,  358 
Low-tide,  197 
Lubbock,  Sir  John,  on  bees,  205 


Making  friends,  203 
Making  plans,  191 
Making  obeisance,  99 
Making  sentences,  165 
Man,  a  dancing,  289 
Mandarins,  the,  25 
Maps,  coloring,  273 

on  a  journey,  173 
Marbles,  146 
Mastiff,  the,  346 
Mats,  paper,  286 
Menageries,  192 
Mi'Miierism,  99 
Messengers,  kite,  295 
Mice,  212 

pet,  351 

Milking  cows,  206 
Million,  counting  a,  191 
Miniature  trees,  331 
Minnows,  352 
Missing  information,  67 
Mogul,  the  Grand,  166 
Molasses  candy,  310 
Moles,  212 
Mongrels,  347 
Mottoes  for  Christmas,  302 
Moulting,  357 

Mounting  pressed  flowers,  20$ 
Muffin  man,  the,  32 
Mufti,  the  Grand,  25 
Mulberry  bush,  the,  28 
Music,  dolls',  225 
Music,  magic,  9 
Mustard  and  cress,  327,  332 
My  lady's  clothes,  13 
My  right-hand  neighbor,  94 
My  thought,  89 


M 

MADONNA  lilies,  325 
Magic-lantern  slides,  274 
Magic  music,  9 


INDEX 


415 


Old  soldier,  13 

Old  stone,  130 

Oranges  and  lemons,  15 

Orchestra,  29 

Outdoor  games  for  boys,  139-147 

Outdoor  games  for  girls,  129-136 

Outlines,  47,  49 


N 

NARCISSUS,  325,  333 
Natural  history  books,  382 
Neighbor,  my  right-hand,  94 
Neighbors,  15 
Newfoundland  dogs,  345 
Newspaper,  the,  71 
Newspaper,  the  home,  284 
Ninepins,  185 
Norfolk  spaniel,  344 
Noughts  and  crosses,  176 
Numbers,  guessing,  102 
Nut  candy,  310,  311 
Nuts  in  May,  12 
Nutting,  209 


OBSERVATION,  104 

for  railway  journeys,  174 
Occupations,  indoor,  273-304 
Old  bachelor,  79 
Old  maid,  79 
Old  maid's  birthday,  the,  81 


P's  AND  Q's,  89 

Packing  flowers,  335 
Paddling,  197 
Painting,  273 

cardboard  dolls'  houses,  238 

cardboard  furniture,  245 

dolls'  house  food,  226 

eggs  for  Easter,  275 

flags,  273 

flowers,  209 

magic-lantern  slides,  274 

maps,  273 
Paper  boats,  285 

boxes,  287 

and  cardboard  toys.  284-292 

darts,  286 

decorations,  302 

dolls,  258-262 

French  and  English,  177 

furniture,  243-257 

mats,  286 

Papers  for  dolls'  houses,  220 
Parlor  football,  39 


416 


INDEX 


Parrots,  354 

Party,  games  for  a,  3-43 
Patience  or  Thirteeiis,  76 
Pen  and  ink  work,  276 
Peppermint  candy,  311 
Perch,  352 

Perennials,  treatment  of,  323 
Pets,  339-366 
Philopenas,  303 
Photography,  214 
Picking  flowers,  335 
Picnic  games,  151-159 
Pictures  and  titles,  55 
Pictures,  coloring,  273 

for  dolls'  houses,  224 

pricking,  275 

tracing,  275 
Pictures  to  order,  54 
Picture-writing,  or  hieroglyphics,  52, 

53,  55 
Pig,  79 
Pigeons,  353 
Ping-pong,  75 
Plain  toffee,  309 
Plans,  making,  191 
Planting  bulbs,  326 

perennials,  323 

seedlings,  320 
Plants,  window,  329 

indoor,  331 

Playhouses  of  other  peoples,  265-269 
Poetry  books,  371 
Pomeranian,  the,  347 
Ponds,  210 
Poodles,  347 
Pop-corn,  309 
Pop-guns,  185 
Postage-stamp  collections,  278 

snakes,  278 
Post  office,  the,  283 
Potato  races,  40 
Pots  and  pans  (models),  248 
Predicaments,  71 
Pressing  flowers,  209 
Pricking  pictures,  275 
Prisoner's  base,  156 
Prize,  auctioning,  43 
Products,  towns  and,  168 
Prophecies  and  characteristics,  80 
Proverbs,  96 

acting,  97 


Proverbs,  continued 

shouting,  97 

Pueblo  settlement,  a,  265 
Pugs,  347 

Puppies,  how  to  feed,  340 
Puss  in  the  corner,  7 
Puzzles,  279 


QUANTITIES,  guessing,  104 
Queen  Anne,  Lady,  20 
Quoits,  141 
Quotation  games,  92 


RABBITS,  wild,  348 

tame,  348 
Races,  140 
Races,  potato,  40 

soap-bubble,  116 

Spanish,  or  wheelbarrow,  141 

tissue-paper,  39 
Radishas,  327 
Railway  competitions,  173 
Railway  whist,  174 
Rainy-day  games,  113-126 
Reading,  369-385 
Red  rover,  159 


INDEX 


417 


Remarks  on  acting,  100 
Retriever,  the,  344 
Rhymed  replies,  67 
Rhymes,  counting  out,  134 
Rhyming  games,  92 
Rhyming  lights,  167 
Riddles,  66 
Ring,  hunt  the,  19 
Ring  taw,  146 
Riug-the-uail,  115 
Ring-toss,  114 
Roadside  whist,  163 
Robin's  Alive,  27 
Robin,  the,  361 
Rocking-chair  (model),  256 
Rocks,  198 

Rows  of  paper  dolls,  262 
Runt  pigeons,  354 
Russian  scandal,  21 
Ruth  and  Jacob,  2c 


SAILING  boats,  197,  210 
Saint  Bernard,  the,  346 
Sand  castles,  198 

games,  198 
Saving  seed,  322 
Scandal,  Russian,  21 
Scarborough  lily,  333 
Scents,  guessing,  104 
Schoolboy  stories,  376 
Science,  books  about,  383 
Scrap-books,  191,  276 

covered  screens,  278 
Scraps  and  transfers,  288 
Screen  (model),  248 
Screens  covered  with  scraps,  278 

for  dolls'  houses,  225 
Sea-Serpents,  ink,  288 
Seaside  friends,  good,  199 
Seaside  employments,  197-200 


Seaweed,  199 

Seedlings,  perennials,  325 

general  remarks  on,  321 
Seed,  sowing,  322 
Sentences,  making,  165 
Sergeant,  the,  24 
Setters,  344 

Setting-boards  for  butterflies,  208 
Shades,  326 
Shadow  buff,  5 
Shadows  on  the  wall,  279 
Shearing  sheep,  206 
Sheep,  206 

counting  imaginary  flocks  of,  .1 91 

dog,  the,  345 

shearing,  206 

washing,  206 
Shell  work,  199 
Ship  alphabet,  the,  87 
Ships,  cork,  197 
Shop,  game  of,  221 

in  the  garden,  136 
Shopping,  the  day's,  14 
Shop  windows,  164 
Shouting  proverbs,  97 
Shuffle  board,  121 
Sideboard  (model),  250 
Silkworms,  352 
Simon  says  thumbs  up,  24 
Simple  acrostics,  59 
Skeleton  ferns,  281 

leaves,  280 
Skipjacks,  299 
Skye  terrier,  the,  343 
Sleep,  ways  of  getting  to,  191 
Slugs,  324 

Small  dolls'  houses,  227 
Snakes,  212 

postage  stamp,  228 
Snap,  77 
Snap  cards,  78 
Sneeze,  the  concerted,  27 
Snowdrops,  325 
Soap-bubbles,  116,  279 
Sofa  (model),  251 
Sofas,  cork,  229 
Soldiers,  185,  191 
Solitary  watchfulness,  212 
Sowing  seeds,  320 
Spaniels,  344 
Spanish  cup  and  ball,  186 
Sparrows,  365 


4i8 


INDEX 


Spatter-work,  275 

Spelling  game,  166 

Spin  the  platter,  17 

Spoons,  blind  man's  buff  played  with,  3 

Squills,  325 

Squirrels,  wild,  213 
tame,  350 

Stagariuo,  159 

Stamps,  collecting,  278 

Star  of  Bethlehem,  325 

Starlings,  365 

Station  Observation,  174 

Statues,  26 

Steps,  4 

Stevenson,  R.  L.,  188 

Still  Pond !  No  More  Moving,  4 

Stir  the  mash,  11 

Stool  of  repentance,  98 

Stories,  composite,  70 
improbable,  70 
about  schoolboys,  376 
telling,  93,  163 

Story  books,  188 

Story  for  Family  coach,  33 

for  Old  maid's  birthday,  82 
Story  game,  70 
Strawberries,  328 
Streams,  211 
Strength  tests,  144 
Stuffed  dates.  311 
Suckers,  299 

Sugar,  Barley,  how  to  make,  307 
Sugar,  how  to  color,  312 
Suggestions,  91 
Summer-houses,  136 
Sussex  spaniel,  the,  344 
Swallows.  213 
Swarming  of  bees.  205 
Sweet-making,  307-312 


TABLEAUX  vivante,  108 

Table  games,  75-83 

Tables,  cork,  230 

Tag,  152 

Teapot,  95 

Telegrams,  64 

Telling  stories,  93 
during  walks,  163 

Terriers,  343 

Terza,  154 

Thimble,  9 

Thinking  games,  87-93 
for  bed,  189 

Thirteens,  or  Patience,  76 

Thought,  my,  89 

Thought-reading  tricks,  100 

Throwing  light,  96 

Tides,  197 

Tiger-lilies,  325 

Tissue-paper  dresses  for  dolls,  262 
races,  39 

Titles,  pictures  and,  55 

Tit-tot-toe,  176 

Toffee,  almond,  310 
Everton,  310 
plain,  309 

Tom  Tiddler's  ground,  129 

Tools  for  gardening,  318 

Topsy-turvy  concert,  the,  105 

Touch  last,  152 

Touchwood,  152 

Towel-rack,  cork,  233 

(model),  256 
Town  gardens,  328 
Towns  and  products,  168 
Toy  boate,  295 

dogs,  347 

Toys  for  boys,  292-301 
Tracing,  244 
Tracing  pictures,  275 
Train,  games  to  play  in  the,  173-181 
Transfers,  288 
Transplanting  flowers,  320 
Travel,  books  of,  385 
Traveller,  the,  34 
Trees,  miniature,  331 

Christmas,  302 

Tricks,  how  to  teach  birds,  356 
balancing,  122 
how  to  teach  dogs,  341 


INDEX 


419 


Tricks,  continued 

drawing,  51 

thought-reading,  100 
Trout,  351 
Trussed  fowls,  37 
Tug  of  war,  38 
Tulips.  325 
Turtles,  351 
Twenty  questions,  189 
Twos  and  threes,  or  Terza,  154 
Tying  knots,  117 


u 

UNISON  games.  26 
Up  Jenkins,  18 
Utensils,  kitchen,  18 
kitchen  (models),  248 
for  sweet-making,  307 


VELVET  animals,  289 
Verse  and  poetry  books,  371 


Walnut  fights,  299 

shell  boats,  298 
Wand,  blind  man's,  4 
Wardrobe,  matchbox,  233 

(model),  253 
Washing  dogs,  340 

sheep,  206 
Washstand,  232 

(model),  255 

Watch,  games  to  be  played  with  a,  175 
Water-cutters,  300 
Watering  flowers,  318 

perennials,  324 

seedlings,  320 

window  boxes,  334 

window  plants,  330 
Wax-bills,  358 
Weeds,  321 

Welsh  terrier,  the,  343 
Wet  clothes,  197 
Wheat,  332 

When  my  ship  comes  in,  87 
Whist,  railway,  174 
Whist,  roadside,  163 
Whistle,  the,  8 
Whistles,  301 
Wiggles,  49 
Wild  birds,  feeding  the,  361 

rabbits,  348 
Window  boxes,  329,  354 

plants,  329 
Windows,  shop,  164 
Witches,  131 
Wool  balls,  282 

demons,  282 
Word -making,  178 
Writing  games,  59-72 


W 

WALKING  dolls,  259 

games  to  play  when  out,  163-17C 
Walking  Spanish,  39 
Wall-pockets,  318 


YELLOW  bunting,  360 
Yes  and  no  games,  94-96 


AP 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 
on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

» 

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General  Library 

University  of  California 

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